Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, is reportedly encountering manufacturing trouble just weeks before it is due to go on sale in October, raising the prospect of a tighter-than-usual launch supply for the $1,999 device. MacRumors reports that early output is expected to be limited.
According to MacRumors’ account of reporting from Jiemian News, a person described as close to Foxconn’s supply chain said final assembly yields for Apple’s first foldable iPhone were only slightly above 60% as of Sept. 17. The same source said that under Apple’s current quality standards, it could take another six months to a year for the production line to reach a mature yield.
The report says Foxconn has been repeatedly adjusting equipment, assembly processes and production settings as it works to build the iPhone Duo at scale. Suppliers were also said to be watching whether Apple might relax any quality requirements to speed production.
Problems beyond final assembly
The manufacturing issues reportedly are not limited to Foxconn’s assembly lines. MacRumors says Jiemian News also described low yields, delayed deliveries and design changes affecting Samsung Display’s foldable OLED panels and hinge components. Those delays leave the assembler with less time to tune the line before launch.
The report also says Apple tested Liquid Metal for some hinge parts before reassessing that approach ahead of mass production. Apple has previously said the iPhone Duo hinge contains more than 100 components and includes a 3D-printed cover, underlining how mechanically complex the device is compared with a conventional iPhone.
Smaller launch target than a typical Pro model
MacRumors says a supply-chain source told Jiemian News that Apple’s global stocking target for the iPhone Duo in 2026 is about 6 million to 8 million units. Jiemian compared that with the 20 million to 30 million units typically shipped over a full product cycle for an individual iPhone Pro or Pro Max model.
That lower target would fit with both the Duo’s unusually high price and the added complexity of a first-generation foldable design. MacRumors says preorders are scheduled to open on Oct. 16, with availability beginning Oct. 23.
If the reported manufacturing constraints persist, the iPhone Duo could reach customers on schedule but in relatively short supply during its initial release window.
