Apple has boosted orders for its first foldable smartphone, raising production plans for 2026 to approximately 10 million units. According to Nikkei Asia, the Cupertino company asked suppliers to prepare for 2-3 million more devices than the initial forecast of 7-8 million. The increase comes after resolving engineering challenges related to the hinge, allowing mass production to ramp up later this year.
Total iPhone production in 2026 will exceed 220 million units
Beyond the foldable model, Apple has already booked components for about 80 million smartphones in the second half of 2026, including the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The company's full-year production is expected to top 220 million units, a volume that puts pressure on rivals. Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have each cut their annual targets below 100 million due to a global memory shortage. Apple's purchasing power allows it to secure privileged supply, as shown by requests to some suppliers to reserve iPhone 17 components for the upcoming iPhone 18 lineup.
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The foldable iPhone Ultra will feature a 7.8-inch inner display and Touch ID
According to rumors, the book-style device may be called iPhone Ultra and will sport a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover display. Instead of Face ID, Apple has opted for Touch ID, likely integrated into the side button. The chipset will be the A20, paired with Apple's proprietary C2 modem. Launch is expected in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models. IDC predicts an average selling price of $2,500, with storage options potentially reaching $3,000.
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Rising component costs may lead Apple to increase prices across the lineup
Last month Apple raised prices on MacBooks and iPads to offset higher component costs. The iPhone 17 lineup has so far been spared, but with new launches, a price adjustment for smartphones is likely. IDC believes the foldable could become the most expensive iPhone ever. For a comparison with tech sector emissions, see the article on Amazon's record 2025 emissions. Additionally, AI expansion is driving up electricity consumption among tech giants, as covered in this article on Google. To better understand foldable display technology, check Wikipedia.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/02/apple-ramps-foldable-iphone-ultra-production-10m
