Apple's iPhone Duo Faces Manufacturing Challenges Before October Launch

Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, is facing manufacturing difficulties ahead of its October 23 launch. Foxconn's final-assembly yield was reported at just over 60 percent as of mid-September, meaning only about six of every ten units met Apple's quality standards at that stage.

The foldable OLED display supplied by Samsung Display and the hinge mechanism are the primary bottlenecks. Component delays and low yields in these critical parts are straining production. A Foxconn supply-chain source indicated it could take another six months to a year for production efficiency to reach mature levels, though this does not affect the scheduled launch.

The manufacturing challenges are expected to limit initial supply. Apple reportedly plans to sell 6-8 million units globally in 2026, well below typical Pro model volumes. Availability in India is likely to be constrained during the early sales window.