Samsung Display, which exclusively supplies foldable organic EL (OLED) displays for the foldable iPhone (tentative name: iPhone Ultra), is reported to be expanding its mass production scale, according to supply chain information.
It is possible that the problems that occurred during initial mass production have been resolved, and preparations are underway for increased production of iPhone Ultra.
If the supply of displays increases and the assembly of the main unit goes smoothly, we can expect the number of iPhone Ultra shipments to increase from October onwards.
Initial inventory is expected to be quite low
Samsung Display has received Apple’s mass production approval for foldable OLED displays for the iPhone Ultra and is already in production. It was reported that Samsung Display achieved a final yield rate of over 80% during mass production, exceeding Apple’s standard of over 70%.
On the other hand, there is information that the start of mass production of the iPhone Ultra itself has been delayed from the initial plan due to issues such as the durability of the hinge and the yield rate. Therefore, although the iPhone Ultra is expected to be announced at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro series, it is expected that the number of supplies at the time of release will be quite small.
Are preparations for increasing production of the main unit making progress?
If Samsung Display expands the production scale of folding OLED displays, Apple may be expecting to increase production of iPhone Ultra in the future. Up until now, supply chain information has reported that the issue with the hinge has been resolved and the company has moved on to mass production as planned.
If the supply of key parts such as displays, hinges, and logic boards becomes stable, and if the ability to assemble the main body increases, the environment will be in place to increase the number of iPhone Ultras manufactured.
Expecting supply increase from October
Samsung Display was originally expected to supply approximately 3 million foldable OLED displays to Apple in 2026.
It is expected that supply of the iPhone Ultra will be extremely limited immediately after its release, so even if production scale is expanded during September, it will take some time for the effects to be reflected in store inventory and delivery dates.
Therefore, if the production of the main unit increases at the same time, the number of shipments will increase after October, and the expected delivery date may gradually improve.
High price and evaluation of camera specifications
If the initial stock of the iPhone Ultra is small and the quantity available on the release date is limited, the expected delivery date may be extended several weeks after pre-orders begin.
However, one factor that will affect actual demand is the selling price, which is rumored to be well over 300,000 yen even for the cheapest model. Furthermore, the main camera has a dual-lens configuration with wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle, and the telephoto camera installed in the iPhone 18 Pro series is not expected to be used.
Depending on how much value users find in the foldable display and operability similar to an iPad, the number of orders and delivery times after pre-orders begin will likely change significantly.
Is it possible that the model name is iPhone Studio?
As for the model name of the foldable iPhone, “iPhone Ultra” is considered to be a strong candidate.
However, since it seems that the camera functions will be more limited than the iPhone 18 Pro series, some are questioning whether the name “Ultra” will be adopted.
If Apple were to adopt the names for higher-end models that Apple uses for its existing product lines, a name like “Studio” could also be considered as a candidate.
However, no specific leaked information supporting the name “iPhone Studio” has been confirmed at this time, and this is just one consideration regarding the name candidate.
Photo: Apple Hub/Facebook
Source: iPhone Mania
