Updated

Updated · Forbes · Jul 23

Apple’s Foldable iPhone Faces 1-2 Month Delay as Sept. 18 Release Comes Into Doubt

Updated

Updated · Forbes · Jul 23

Apple’s Foldable iPhone Faces 1-2 Month Delay as Sept. 18 Release Comes Into Doubt

Q: What core features did Apple sacrifice to create its thinnest device ever amid production hurdles?

Apple appears to have traded away several flagship features to make the foldable iPhone its thinnest device yet, at roughly 4.5mm when unfolded. The clearest sacrifice is Face ID. Multiple supply-chain reports say the phone is too thin to fit Apple’s usual TrueDepth camera system, so it is expected to use Touch ID in the side button instead. Another major compromise is the camera system: the foldable model is widely expected to drop a dedicated telephoto lens, leaving a simpler setup to save internal space. Reports also point to other likely omissions tied to the ultra-thin design. MagSafe or a traditional wireless-charging implementation may be reduced or absent, and dummy-unit leaks have suggested no Action Button. Some reports also indicate an eSIM-only design, eliminating the physical SIM tray. These trade-offs come as Apple is still dealing with the harder engineering problems of foldables: hinge reliability and display durability. DigiTimes says those issues have delayed engineering validation by one to two months, even as Foxconn handles final production adjustments. So the device’s extreme thinness is not just a design choice; it is also part of a broader balancing act between form factor, durability and feature retention. In short, the core features most clearly sacrificed were Face ID and the telephoto camera, with MagSafe, the Action Button and the physical SIM slot also reportedly at risk or removed.

3 articles · Updated · Forbes · Jul 23

DigiTimes says Apple’s first foldable iPhone could miss its expected Sept. 18 on-sale date, even though a September unveiling still appears likely.
Production bottlenecks center on the hinge and circuit board, with Foxconn leading new product introduction and mass production because it is seen as Apple’s best chance to hit targets.
The report clashes with earlier July claims that the device was still on schedule, extending months of conflicting signals around the foldable iPhone’s launch timing.
Apple is still expected to show the device—possibly branded iPhone Ultra—alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup at a keynote likely set for Sept. 9.