Apple reportedly preparing for foldable phone launch

It has been a little over a week since Apple unveiled its iPhone 17 range, and on the whole it looks to have been a decent launch. The base model gained a series of upgrades to make it the most attractive prospect in years, while the Pro models saw a love-it-or-hate-it redesign.

Just yesterday, I reported on a second leak regarding a fairly significant change expected for the iPhone 18 range next year. That suggested that the base model could have its launch delayed, creating a scenario where the Pro models launch as normal, with the base model coming later on.

Now, we might know why. According to a new report from Nikkei (shared by 9to5Mac), Apple is preparing its supply chain for a significant uptick in purchasing next year, thanks in no small part to the iPhone Fold.

That's a device which has been teased and rumoured for years at this point. For many, Apple's lack of entry into the foldable phone space remains a considerable bugbear, while others champion the 'best, not first' approach which has felt missing at times in recent years.

According to the report, the brand is anticipating an uptick in sales across all models in the series, not just the Fold. That makes sense – some may be drawn in by the glitz and glamour of something new, but ultimately opt to stick with a more tried and tested range.

The report suggests that Apple is anticipating to shift a whopping 95 million units of the iPhone 18 range. That's an increase of 10 million from the iPhone 17 range, and would signal a landmark year even by the brand's own high standards.

The folding device is said to be put into trial production in Taiwan, with a view to reproduce the production line in India. That's something which the brand has done a lot of in the last year, as it seeks to lessen the impacts of tariffs for American consumers.