Apple’s first foldable iPhone appears to be moving closer to launch, and the latest signals from China suggest the device may still be on track for next year. That matters because the company has a history of missing its own product timelines when new hardware is especially ambitious.
Rumors of a delay have circulated for months, but supply-chain chatter is now pointing in the opposite direction. A report picked up by DigiTimes, citing China Securities Journal, says Apple has begun shipping components in small batches for its first foldable phone.
Production signs are starting to show
The most important detail is not the name being used in rumors, but the fact that suppliers are being pulled into the process. One supplier source said the company has recently started sending out parts in limited quantities, a sign that production is no longer just in the planning stage.
That same source also said suppliers were told the device is scheduled to be introduced in September 2026. The timing is expected to line up with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which would place Apple’s foldable launch inside the company’s usual September spotlight.
Why the delay talk has not fully disappeared
The caution around this device is understandable. Apple has a record of products arriving later than expected, including the first AirPods and the iPhone X, which reached the market two months after the other iPhone models in the fall of 2017.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman was among those who previously suggested the foldable iPhone could slip. He made that call in March, and the newest production reports raise the possibility that some of the earlier bottlenecks have already been cleared.
Even so, the rumor of a delay has not vanished completely. It is simply losing weight as the device appears to move deeper into the manufacturing cycle, where unresolved problems are less likely to remain hidden.
September remains the key month
Apple is believed to already have a September keynote in mind, along with the sales schedule that would follow it. In the most likely scenario, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would go on sale on Friday, September 18.
There is still a small chance that Apple could announce the phones first and delay the release slightly, but that is not seen as the most probable path. The company generally prefers to preserve the momentum of a major launch in its most important month of the year.
John Ternus’ first big launch is also in view
September is also expected to mark John Ternus taking over as CEO from Tim Cook. That adds another layer of importance to the schedule, because Apple will want the transition to coincide with a smooth and high-profile product rollout.
If the foldable iPhone reaches the market on the timeline now being discussed, Apple’s first foldable device could become one of the most closely watched launches in years. For now, the clearest takeaway is that the production picture looks more advanced than the delay rumors suggested.
