The Apple logo hangs above the entrance to the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City.
Mike Seeger | Reuters
shares of apple Shares fell on Tuesday following reports that the company was facing technical challenges with its long-awaited foldable iPhone.
“Apple and the supply chain are working under a tight schedule, and current solutions are not sufficient to fully resolve the engineering challenges. …More time is needed,” a person familiar with the situation told Nikkei Asia.
Apple, which celebrated its 50th anniversary last week, has announced four new iPhone models at its annual September launch event since 2020.
The foldable smartphone was scheduled to be released alongside the iPhone 18 in September 2026, but a report in the Nikkei Shimbun raised concerns about a delay. Bloomberg later reported that the phone was on track for a September debut.
Apple shares rebounded slightly following the Bloomberg report, with the stock price down about 2%. The stock had previously fallen as much as 5%.
Apple did not respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
According to the Nikkei Shimbun, April and early May are seen as a critical period for iPhone makers to resolve engineering issues ahead of production.
samsungApple’s biggest rival in the US smartphone market launched its first foldable phone in 2019. The iPhone is a key money earner for Apple, driving more than half of the company’s $143.8 billion in revenue reported in the first quarter of fiscal 2026.
The Nikkei Shimbun reported that the tight supply of memory chips has made it difficult to meet growing demand for iPhones, but has not affected delays in foldable phones.
Apple’s stock price since the beginning of the year.
