Apple's iPhone Fold launch might happen later than we thought. Here’s why.

Apple's iPhone Fold might be coming to market later than anticipated.

A new report by Nikkei claims Apple has hit some engineering hurdles that may delay the launch of the first foldable iPhone, perhaps even into 2027.

According to the report, which cites multiple sources familiar with the matter, developing the iPhone Fold has proven more complex than the company had expected. "It's true that more issues than expected have emerged during the early test production phase, and additional time will be needed to resolve them and make necessary adjustments. ... The current situation could put the mass production timeline at risk," a source told Nikkei.

The report doesn't have many details on what, exactly, these issues are. One source, however, said they have to do with engineering challenges, and are not related to components and materials supply issues.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but Apple needs to overcome these problems until early May, or the launch of the iPhone Fold may have to be moved to a later date.

Most of the reports we've seen so far said that Apple plans to launch the iPhone Fold in September 2026, alongside its iPhone 18 Pro models. However, a recent research note by analyst Tim Long claimed that the shipments for the Fold would likely start in December 2026, a few months after the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models become available.

This doesn't necessarily mean the iPhone Fold won't be unveiled in September alongside other new devices. Apple may officially announce it in September but launch it a few months later, like it did with the iPhone X in 2017.