GoKawiiliPhone Ultra’s unveiling is only a few weeks away, and a new report claims the initial rollout could be extremely limited, including being US-only at launch.
Limited iPhone Ultra supply could lead to US-only launch
David Richards, writing at ChannelNews Australia:
Apple will unveil its first foldable iPhone at its September 8 US launch event but will not release the device to market, with a major Chinese component supplier confirming the Company is battling supply, testing and pricing problems that could see Australia miss out for months. The supplier, who spoke to ChannelNews in China, said the delay is “primarily down to supply and pricing issues”, adding “we believe the Company is also having testing issues with production models that have already been built”. Australian carriers and a major retailer have confirmed the Apple Fold will be a “no show” on retail shelves when the new iPhone 18 range lands locally, with limited supply set to be rolled out in the USA first, followed by key markets including China.
We’ve certainly heard before that iPhone Ultra supply might be very limited at launch. And if the situation is dire enough, a US-only release could make sense as a temporary solution.
Despite the plausibility of the report, there remain reasons to be skeptical.
First, a September 8 event is referenced and Apple is very unlikely to choose that date.
In any other year, picking the second Tuesday would be a safe bet. But Labor Day in the US is fairly late this year, falling on September 7. And it would be highly unusual for Apple to hold the iPhone event immediately after a holiday. Wednesday, September 9 is much more likely.
Additionally, the report seems based on sources located in China and Australia. If iPhone Ultra isn’t going to launch in those territories right away, it makes sense that local sources would know that in advance. But they wouldn’t necessarily know that the device will be US-only at first. That claim seems more like speculation.
In any case, it wouldn’t be surprising for Apple to roll out iPhone Ultra very slowly. If it’s able to ship the product in September in the US, then progressively add more territories, that might be better than delaying the launch altogether.
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