The foldable iPhone faces a likely delay in its launch this year after Apple encountered long-term durability problems with the hinge following frequent opening and closing.
Users on the Weibo website, under the name Momentary Digital, reported citing sources in the smartphone industry that the iPhone Ultra, Apple's first foldable smartphone, still has engineering issues, risking a postponement of its release from the original September 2026 to September 2027.
The main reason is that the hinge mechanism component has not met Apple's strict quality control standards. The key problem Apple faces is long-term durability, as the hinge experiences excessive wear and degradation after intense, frequent open-and-close testing.
Although it is unclear whether this issue stems from Apple's high-quality standards or technical limitations of the materials used, if engineers cannot find a perfect solution, we may not see a foldable iPhone from Apple anytime soon.
However, amid the bad news of delay, there is some good news. The same source revealed that Apple has succeeded in overcoming a longstanding technological weakness of foldable phones: the crease on the screen. The iPhone Ultra's OLED display can show a smooth image with nearly invisible creases, even after prolonged use and folding. This screen issue was a major focus of Apple's extended development, surpassing rival brands.
Analysts believe Apple will not cancel the iPhone Ultra development but may adjust the timeline to ensure product perfection. If engineers can fix the hinge issue in time for production, the launch could coincide with the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro at the end of this year. However, if more testing time is needed, a delay into 2027 remains possible.
. . .TechRadar