Apple’s first foldable iPhone is facing a hurdle on the road to mass production. On the 21st, China’s Jiemian News, citing supply-chain sources, reported that Foxconn’s assembly yield for the “iPhone Duo” was just over 60%. The scheduled launch on October 23 is now less than a month away.
▶ Foxconn’s assembly yield for Apple’s first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, is just above 60%, according to China’s Jiemian News, which cited supply-chain sources.
▶ Initial production volumes are small, and the production line still requires repeated adjustments. One source estimated that it could take six months to a year to reach the yield levels Apple requires.
▶ Yields for OLED panels made by Samsung Display and hinge components are also low, and deliveries have been delayed, leaving Foxconn less time to refine assembly.
▶ The iPhone Duo was unveiled on the 9th and starts at 3.29 million won for the 256GB model. Preorders begin October 16, with the release set for October 23.
◆ Nearly four out of every 10 units fail inspection
Yield is the share of products coming off a production line that pass quality inspections. A yield in the 60% range means that nearly four out of every 10 units must be discarded or reworked.
According to Jiemian, initial production volumes are small and the line is still undergoing repeated adjustments. One source estimated that it could take six months to a year for yields to reach the level Apple requires.
There is no single cause for the low yield. Sources said the line is not being held up by one unresolved technical problem; rather, equipment, processes and production settings all need to be refined as output increases.
There have also been delays in component supplies. OLED panels made by Samsung Display and hinge components produced by other suppliers have had low yields and late deliveries. The sources said that delays upstream leave Foxconn less time to improve its assembly yield.
◆ A hinge with more than 100 interlocking components
The hinge contains more than 100 components fitted together with tight tolerances. Even small variations can significantly affect the device’s folding and unfolding motion.
Before mass production, Apple reportedly reconsidered using liquid metal for some hinge components, but ultimately chose a different approach. Changing the process at this stage would require new prototypes and functional samples, further validation, and coordination with suppliers.
Apple has traditionally treated yield as a problem for its assembly contractor to solve. The inspection pass rate Apple is targeting has not been disclosed. If Foxconn runs the production line harder, it can increase the number of finished units, but the defect rate may rise as well.
◆ Launch set for October 23, but supply remains uncertain
The iPhone Duo was unveiled at an Apple event on the 9th. In South Korea, the 256GB model is priced at 3.29 million won, the 512GB model at 3.59 million won, the 1TB model at 4.19 million won, and the 2TB model at 5.09 million won. The U.S. price starts at $1,999.
South Korea is among the first-wave launch markets. Preorders open on October 16, and the phone goes on sale October 23. The interval between announcement and release is longer than it was for the iPhone X in 2017. There are expectations that deliveries could be delayed if yields do not improve.
Chinese outlet Huxiu reported that Apple initially requested about 10 million units, but several market research firms have since lowered their forecasts for this year’s shipments to between 6 million and 8 million. On China’s secondary market, some sellers have begun taking reservations at prices 50% to 100% above retail.