GoKawiilThe world is expected to see Apple’s first foldable phone next month. When you can get one could be an entirely different matter. A recent report hints that supply, pricing and testing hiccups could mean only US shoppers will be able to preorder the device at first.
Buyers in China, among other countries, would be next in line, according to the Australian website ChannelNews, which based its reporting on comments from an unnamed “major Chinese component supplier.”
Most observers and analysts expect Apple to introduce its first foldable phone — possibly named the Ultra or Fold — at its next product launch in September. The company is also expected to showcase the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.
From what CNET has learned over the past several months, the Apple foldable is anticipated to have a book-style format, followed by a clamshell design like the Motorola Razr. It could have a wide, squat look akin to the original Google Pixel Fold.
Earlier this week, insider Ice Universe posted on X images of the Apple foldable’s screen protector, noting that one side was square and the other round.
Despite all the reports, rumors and leaks over the past several months, Apple has not announced anything about upcoming products or a launch event.
A representative for Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Read more: Everything We Know About Apple’s Next Lineup
Price unknown?
Development of the foldable has been hampered by “supply and pricing issues,” and there are “testing issues with production models that have already been built,” the source told ChannelNews. Australian cellphone carriers and major retailers also told the news site that Australian shoppers would have to wait months to buy the phone, with the US getting first dibs.
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