Apple is preparing an unusually aggressive debut for its first foldable iPhone, with plans to produce up to 10 million units by the end of the current year, according to Nikkei Asian Review. That is a step up from the 7 million to 8 million range it had been targeting only a few months earlier, and it suggests Apple wants this launch to look less like a niche experiment and more like a mainstream product line from day one.
The timing matters. Foldable phones have spent years as a showcase category for Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo, but Apple tends to enter late and then vacuum up attention, margins, and supply. If it can actually ship that many units, the first foldable iPhone could arrive with a stronger production push than many rivals manage after several cycles in the segment.
Apple’s foldable iPhone production targets for the current year
Apple reportedly told component suppliers that it is ready to lift foldable iPhone output to 10 million units. In the current half-year, the company is said to be aiming to put 80 million smartphones across its lineup on the market, including iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the new foldable model.
For the full year, Apple expects to manufacture more than 220 million iPhones, covering current and earlier generations. That is a big number even by Apple standards, and it comes at a time when memory shortages are forcing rivals to trim plans rather than expand them. Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo have each reportedly cut their annual smartphone production goals to below 100 million units.
- Foldable iPhone target: up to 10 million units
- Earlier plan: 7 million to 8 million units
- Current half-year smartphone target: 80 million units
- Full-year iPhone output: more than 220 million units
Why Apple is leaning on premium models first
Apple’s strategy is pretty clear: push the higher-priced models first, then widen the lineup later. The company is expected to ship up to 85 million new iPhones in the current half-year, with some parts shared with the iPhone 17 family, while the standard iPhone 17 itself is not due until the first half of 2027.
That sequencing is smart if memory supply stays tight. A foldable, two Pro models, and an ultra-thin iPhone Air create a premium-heavy launch mix that should protect Apple’s margins even if component availability remains messy. Competitors would probably call that opportunistic; Apple calls it Tuesday.
Foldable iPhone production is still set for late in the year
One obstacle that had been hanging over the first foldable iPhone appears to have been cleared: suppliers have reportedly resolved the hinge design issues. Even so, mass production is still expected to begin closer to the end of the current year rather than immediately after the device is announced.
That delay is less of a surprise than it sounds. Apple rarely treats a new category like a rushed demo unit, and foldables are unforgiving in exactly the places consumers notice first: durability, thickness, and hinge feel. If the company gets those right, the launch volume could help it hold the smartphone shipment crown it took from Samsung last year, although memory availability may end up deciding that race more than any keynote line ever will.
Apple’s 2026 lineup could keep pressure on rivals
Beyond the foldable, Apple is also expected to add a new version of the ultra-thin iPhone Air in the next half-year, with updates to its cheaper iPhone models possibly arriving in the spring. The result is a broad release slate that could keep Apple visible across several price bands while rivals are still dealing with component shortages.
That is the part worth watching next: whether Apple’s production plans survive contact with the memory market. If supply loosens, the foldable iPhone could become a flashy but controlled launch. If it does not, Apple still has the advantage of selling the expensive stuff first, which is exactly the sort of problem most competitors would love to have.