Report: Apple’s Foldable iPhone is Facing Engineering Development ⁠Issues

Apple’s first foldable iPhone may be delayed as the company is reportedly facing engineering development issues. A new report from Nikkei Asia (via Engadget) reveals that Apple encountered problems during its production verification tests, which could cause mass production and product shipment to run behind schedule.

“The current situation could put the mass production timeline at risk,” one of the sources told Nikkei Asia. “April will mark a crucial stage of the engineering verification test, and this month till early May is extremely critical.”

Nikkei previously reported in January that Apple was planning to release its first foldable iPhone in the second half of 2026, along with two non-folding flagship models (likely the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max). The ongoing memory crunch may have pushed the company to change its iPhone release schedule and prioritize the launch of new premium models in the fall of 2026, with the standard iPhone 18 possibly coming in Spring 2026. This is something that The Information and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also separately reported last year.

Apple introduced a new iPhone model last fall with the $999 iPhone Air, but the company reportedly delayed the release of its successor due to disappointing sales. Demand for premium foldable phones doesn’t seem too high either, as Samsung recently ended sales of its $2,899 Galaxy Z TriFold. However, maybe Apple, which is “not first, but best,” according to Tim Cook, will have more luck with its own foldable iPhone expected to be priced at around $1,999.

According to a previous report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s foldable iPhone will be able to run two iOS apps side by side, with an interior display that’s similar in size to an iPad mini. The reporter also expects the device to feature just two rear cameras, a small hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera, and a Touch ID sensor on the side button in place of a Face ID sensor.