Overview

• Apple has held talks with suppliers about a small pilot line in Taiwan to verify equipment and refine manufacturing steps for a first foldable iPhone, according to Nikkei Asia.
• The Taiwan pilot plan is tentative, would require roughly a thousand operators, and suppliers have scouted a site in a northern city.
• After validation, Apple intends to replicate the process in India for large‑scale assembly as part of a broader shift in manufacturing away from China.
• The company has signaled to suppliers that a foldable model could lift demand across the lineup, with an early 2026 production target of about 95 million iPhone 18 units versus 85 million for 2025.
• A 2026 launch as part of the iPhone 18 family remains unconfirmed, Apple declined to comment, and leaked specifications and pricing are based on analyst reports rather than official details.