Abstract:
Apple is said to have asked the supply chain to increase the production target of its first foldable screen mobile phone iPhone Duo, raising the production plan for the first 12 months from 9.7 million units to 14 million units, an increase of approximately 44%. This adjustment is believed to be related to the strong demand for product pre-orders. However, since there are still manufacturing challenges in folding screens, hinges and assembly links, the increase in orders does not mean that the actual actual production will eventually increase simultaneously.
Sources said that Foxconn and related parts suppliers have received production instructions reflecting this adjustment. iPhone Duo has attracted consumer attention since pre-orders started last week. The estimated delivery time of some configurations was postponed to January 2027 within hours of pre-orders starting. Market demand has exceeded expectations, which may prompt Apple to re-evaluate the supply scale of its first foldable screen mobile phone.
Previously, there were large differences in the supply chain's production forecasts for this product. In July this year, Nikkei Asia reported that Apple required suppliers to produce about 10 million folding screen iPhones in 2026; in September, analyst Jeff Pu predicted that due to restrictions on hinge production, the actual production of the product that year may only be about 6 million units. The latest 14 million unit target covers the first full 12-month production cycle and is not exactly the same as the previous forecast for 2026 output. Therefore, it is not appropriate to directly regard the two sets of figures as changes in output within the same time frame.
Manufacturing capacity remains a key issue that Apple needs to solve. Previous reports have stated that the iPhone Duo is facing production difficulties in final assembly, folding displays and hinges, and the supply and yield improvement of some parts may affect the shipment speed of the whole machine. Even if Apple increases purchase orders, the number of phones that end up in retail channels may still be lower than planned if the production line cannot be scaled up in time.
At the same time, Apple's entry into the folding screen mobile phone market may also promote accelerated growth of the entire industry. Relevant supply chain reports predict that global foldable screen mobile phone shipments will increase by 25.7% in 2026, 59.1% in 2027, and an increase of approximately 7.4% in 2025. Apple's launch of its first foldable screen iPhone is considered to be one of the important driving factors for market growth in the next two years. However, these figures are industry forecasts and final performance still depends on consumer demand, product supply capabilities and the market performance of competitors.
iPhone Duo was officially launched on October 23, with a starting price of US$1,999 in the US market. Apple has previously reminded consumers that the stock supply in physical stores may be limited on the first day of launch, and will limit the purchase quantity of each customer to two units. Tight supply may still be a real issue for consumers who want to go directly to stores to buy in the early stages of launch.
Overall, Apple is said to have raised its iPhone Duo production target to 14 million units, reflecting that the company may be more optimistic about the market prospects of its first foldable screen phone. But at this stage, this number comes from supply chain news rather than Apple’s officially announced production plan. Whether subsequent orders can be converted into actual shipments still depends on whether the production capacity of folding screen components, hinges, and complete machine assembly can be successfully increased.
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