Exclusive: Apple to Begin Foldable iPhone Mass Production in July, Hinge Problem Resolved

Apple will begin mass production of its first foldable iPhone from late July. While speculation about a launch delay recently emerged due to hinge problems, it has been confirmed that Apple is pushing ahead with a September unveiling as originally planned.
According to reporting by The Elec on the 24th, based on interviews with Apple supply chain sources in Korea and Taiwan, Apple has finalized the major specifications for the foldable iPhone, including the display, case, and mechanical components, and has entered the mass production preparation stage. Foxconn will handle production of the initial volume. A first round of trial production was carried out this past April, and mass production is expected to begin around late July. The September unveiling schedule is also expected to proceed without major issues.
Trial production is the procedure of validating the design, components, assembly process, and quality standards under actual production conditions before a new product enters mass production. It signifies that product development has passed the final validation stage and moved into the mass production preparation stage. For products like the foldable iPhone, which require multiple components such as the panel, hinge, cover glass, and frame to be precisely joined together, trial production results are a key variable for the launch schedule.
The Apple foldable iPhone uses a foldable organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel supplied by Samsung Display, along with the hinge module, cover glass, and mechanical components. Samsung Display recently received approval from Apple for the initial volume of foldable OLED modules from its Vietnam plant. It has completed mass production preparation through the module stage, in which the driver circuit, flexible printed circuit board (FPCB), and protective components are attached to the OLED panel.
The hinge for the foldable iPhone is supplied by Taiwan's Shin Zu Shing and the United States' Amphenol. They supply hinge modules made using a 3D printing method. The hinge determines the opening and closing feel when the screen is folded and unfolded, as well as the crease at the fold and the durability. Since it is a component that does not exist in ordinary bar type smartphones, it determines the level of completion of the foldable product.
It has been reported that there were in fact hinge related problems during the development process. A Taiwan industry source said, "After durability testing at the level of several million cycles, slight noise occurred in the hinge," adding that "in some assembly processes, the tolerances were larger than expected, so the defect rate rose somewhat." The source went on to add that "most of these problems have now been resolved."
Recently, observations have emerged in the industry that the launch of the foldable iPhone could be delayed due to hinge problems. The analysis that Apple could push back the actual sales timing even if it holds the September unveiling event has gained traction. Since it is the first foldable smartphone, Apple may apply strict quality standards at the last moment.
Apple also appears likely to adjust its iPhone launch strategy somewhat. With the addition of the foldable model, the central axis of the September new product unveiling event is expected to shift toward the Pro lineup and the foldable model, and there is a possibility that the standard model will be split off into a separate launch schedule.
An Apple supply chain company source said, "This year the unveiling will center on the Pro, Pro Max, and Ultra (foldable)," adding that "with the addition of the foldable iPhone, among the existing iPhone lineup, the standard model could see its launch pushed back to next spring."