Apple iPhone Ultra delays seem to be averted and day one availability is starting to look solid
You might be able to get an iPhone Ultra at launch, after all
Quick Summary
A new report has appeared on a Chinese outlet suggesting there may not be a delay to the availability of the folding iPhone, after all.
Multiple sources have said the device is in mass production and on track for a September delivery window.
Anyone remember yo-yos? That’s what it feels like when we write up the rumours surrounding the folding iPhone. Will the iPhone Ultra launch this year? Will it be available to buy immediately? Are there issues with the hinge? Has it entered mass production? All these questions have contradicting answers out there on the web.
For example, it was only the beginning of the week where we reported that while the proposed Ultra is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro in September, it was unlikely you’d be able to get it on day one.
Supply chain analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo claimed Apple will have very limited supply at launch “with 3Q26 shipments at 0.5 - 1 million units”.
All is not lost
But now, a new report by MacRumors claims the iPhone Ultra is back on track to ship in September.
Apparently, Chinese financial title Cailian Press, has spoken to a number of sources within Apple’s supply chain, and they've confirmed the device is in mass production.
This was supported separately by East Money, another Chinese outlet, as well as The Bell, which is based in Korea. The MacRumours report also said that Foxconn, which is typically the assembly partner for iPhone, has been on a mass hiring spree.
Cailian Press revealed sources it had spoken to weren’t aware of any delay and a September window is therefore on track.
We still wouldn’t be overly surprised if you will need to be quick off the mark to make sure that’s the case, though. While Samsung and Google has been making foldable phones for some time now, especially in the case of Samsung, this will still be a first for iOS fans and that could make it more popular than expected.
But it’s good news that we could see the new device sooner than previously suggested. And we’d rather it wasn’t too tricky to buy, as that’s no fun for anyone.
Let’s hope instead that this is the last time we pull our yo-yo up before September, though we suspect there will still be more news on this until things are made official.
