Apple Foldable iPhone Hits SMT Yield Snags Ahead of $2,000 Launch

8 articles · Updated · MacRumors · May 26

Pre-assembly yields for Apple's first foldable iPhone are failing to ramp up because of surface-mount technology issues, leaker Fixed Focus Digital said, shifting concern away from earlier reports centered on the hinge.
Those manufacturing problems add to signs of an unusually difficult build: DigiTimes said in April the project was already 1-2 months behind schedule, and another leaker recently said hinge durability was missing Apple's standards in stress testing.
Fall 2026 timing still appears intact. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported in April that Apple was targeting a September debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro line, with sales starting around the same time or slightly later.
The foldable model is expected to carry a roughly $2,000 price tag and include a 7.8-inch inner display, 5.5-inch cover screen, A20 chip, C2 modem and a Touch ID power button.

With critical flaws surfacing months before launch, will Apple’s perfectionism break its first foldable iPhone?

At $2,000 and with production faltering, can Apple's foldable phone avoid the 'price resistance' fate of Vision Pro?

While Apple fumbles its foldable debut, how are rivals preparing to win over impatient buyers this fall?