Exclusive! Foxconn is testing mass production of Apple's foldable screen phone. Quick overview of concept stocks.

On April 6, a reporter from China Securities Journal exclusively learned from industry chain insiders that Foxconn has already begun trial production of Apple’s foldable-screen iPhone.

The reporter previously learned from supply chain companies that Apple’s shipment target guidance provided to suppliers is to launch its first foldable-screen phone in the second half of 2026—a large-foldable-screen iPhone.

An industry chain insider analyzed that Apple phones have a massive user base, and the company’s foldable-screen iPhone is expected to see strong market demand, but unit sales will depend on the final pricing.

Research firm Counterpoint believes that as Apple prepares to launch its first foldable-screen iPhone, the foldable-screen phone market will enter a new competitive phase in 2026. Given the premium positioning of foldable-screen devices, early demand for Apple’s foldable-screen iPhone is expected to come mainly from existing iPhone users. Some users who are considering a book-style foldable screen may also view the device Apple is about to launch as a substitute option, thereby increasing the likelihood of ecosystem migration.

Data released by research firm IDC shows that in 2025, the shipment volume of the China foldable-screen phone market was approximately 10.01 million units, up 9.2% year over year. Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, Apple is expected to enter the foldable-screen phone field. More brands are expected to roll out innovative products with diverse form factors, and market attention and consumer appeal are expected to rise again. The foldable-screen phone market may return to a phase of rapid growth in the future.

A research report from Guosheng Securities states that Apple’s first foldable-screen phone is about to be launched, which is expected to help accelerate the adoption of foldable-screen phones. In addition, the iterative upgrades of no-crease technology are expected to drive both volume and prices higher together, injecting incremental demand into the supply chain.

Crystal Optoelectronics is an Apple supplier. In November 2025, when discussing its technical and product layout for foldable-screen phones for major North American customers, Crystal Optoelectronics told in an institutional survey that currently the company’s products supporting smartphones mainly use various optical components for phone cameras; therefore, it mainly looks at the configurations of the major customer’s device models, and the specifics are subject to information released by the customer.

Recently, Apple supplier Lianne Optoelectronics stated in an institutional survey that in the major customer’s foldable device project this year, the company supplies UTG glass, PET films, glass brackets, 3D glass back plates, and others. The new projects have high value per unit, and the company is leading in market share. The company will benefit significantly. At present, progress on foldable screens is going smoothly. It is expected to be released in the second half of the year, and the company is ramping up production and delivery according to plan.

Pinnacle Holdings is an Apple smartphone printed circuit board supplier. Regarding changes to part numbers for the printed circuit boards of foldable-screen phones for major customers, Pinnacle Holdings said in an institutional survey in January that the customer’s product has not yet been launched, so it is not convenient to provide an assessment. Judging from the requirements of the new product, in theory it will impose higher requirements on the number of part numbers and the production processes of some part numbers.

In mid-2025, Apple supplier Luxshare Precision mentioned foldable-screen terminals and said that it achieved an important breakthrough in a high-end VC heat-dissipation project in cooperation with a major North American customer.

（Source: China Securities Journal）