Apple has told suppliers to prepare for 10 million foldable iPhone Ultra units this year, up from 7 to 8 million units forecast a few months ago, as per Nikkei Asia. The increase reflects confidence in manufacturing stability and demand, coming as the device enters its final engineering phases before mass production begins at the end of July.
The iPhone Ultra will launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, though shipments are expected to arrive later in the year due to staggered production timelines. Apple is ordering 70 million units of the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max combined, with an additional 80 million units of other new iPhone models, bringing total 2026 iPhone orders to approximately 220 million units, in line with IDC’s forecast of close to 240 million iPhone shipments for the year. The foldable remains a secondary volume driver compared to the Pro lineup, but its 25% production increase signals that the company has overcome the durability and manufacturing tolerance issues that plagued development through the spring.
The iPhone Ultra features a distinctive iPad-like form factor when unfolded, with a 7.8-inch inner display and 5.5-inch cover display in a 4:3 aspect ratio, wider than Samsung’s taller clamshell design. The device runs the A20 chip and C2 modem, includes a Touch ID power button instead of Face ID, and ships with two rear cameras. Pricing is expected to start at $1,999 for a 256GB model and reach as high as $2,500 depending on storage capacity.
A key distinction for the iPhone Ultra is its nearly invisible display crease, the result of a decade-long engineering effort to eliminate the crease that marks most existing foldables. Apple pursued the solution “regardless of cost,” according to supply-chain sources. During durability testing, the hinge mechanism produced slight noise and wider-than-expected manufacturing tolerances contributed to higher defect rates in early production runs, but Taiwan-based industry sources say most of these issues have since been addressed.
The device will launch in two color options: a silver and white model, and an indigo finish described as similar to the iPhone 17 Pro’s Deep Blue. Apple plans to use ultra-thin glass supplied by Chinese manufacturer Lens Technology, with Corning likely providing raw materials.
Counterpoint Research reported that Apple’s entry into the foldable category will drive a 24% increase in foldable smartphone panel shipments this year, with revenues rising approximately 48% year-over-year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo cautioned, however, that the frequently cited figure of 15 to 20 million foldable iPhone units likely represents cumulative demand across the device’s full two- to three-year lifecycle rather than 2026 alone, suggesting that annual volumes will remain modest. Supply-chain delays could prevent smooth shipments until 2027, with potential shortages persisting through the end of 2026.
