iPhone Foldable: Name questions, mockups and possible postponement

Apple's first foldable phone is expected this fall. Reports suggest production difficulties, but the name is reportedly finalized.

Man with Foldable: Apple wants to enter the market soon.

(Image: Karlis Dambrans / Shutterstock)

Apr 8, 2026 at 10:11 pm CEST

2 min. read

Mac & i

By

Ben Schwan

Could Apple's first foldable iPhone be delayed longer than hoped? Various reports from Asia speak of problems Apple is said to be having with production. However, a well-known journalist contradicts these claims. The potential name for Apple's first foldable is also hotly debated. The term "Fold" is reportedly not to be included.

Issues with production preparation?

The information about manufacturing difficulties comes from the Japanese business news agency Nikkei Asia. It writes that Apple has discovered “more problems than expected” during the current Engineering Verification Testing (EVT) phase. EVT is an important step before the final measures for mass production can be taken. This is followed by the further stages of Design Validation Testing (DVT) and Production Validation Testing (PVT).

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Previously, the Chinese leaker Fixed Focus Digital, who is considered reliable, reported on similar difficulties. This report detailed price negotiations with manufacturing partners and pending decisions on component selection, particularly regarding the novel foldable hinge that Apple intends to use. In the worst-case scenario, the availability of the new devices could be delayed until next year.

Counter-opinion – and the question of the name

However, Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman does not share this view: According to a report from Tuesday, Apple will succeed in keeping the foldable's debut in September – as part of the normal announcement cycle. It will be launched shortly after the standard models.

Meanwhile, there are new rumors about Apple's naming of the foldable. According to the Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, who is also considered quite reliable, Apple will not use the branding “Fold” or “Foldable”. Instead, the new model will be called “iPhone Ultra”. Meanwhile, new mock-ups, which the rumor mill Sonny Dickson has spread on X and whose data also reportedly comes from China, show what the device might look like – including images of the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max.

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