Apple has held discussions with suppliers for a possible test production of foldable iPhones in Taiwan, aiming to mass produce the device in India for release in 2026, the Nikkei said on Thursday.
The iPhone maker is targeting to produce about 95 million phones in its next lineup coming in 2026, an over 10% rise from this year, the report said, citing sources. Apple believes that releasing a long-awaited foldable model could be key to reaching the goal.
The talks aim to tap the engineering resources and ecosystem of Apple suppliers in Taiwan to build a mini pilot line for equipment testing and fine-tuning the parameters and manufacturing steps for making a foldable iPhone, the Nikkei report said.
Once steps are figured out, the process would be replicated in India to mass produce the phones, according to the report. Suppliers have identified a potential site in a northern Taiwanese city for the mooted pilot line.
Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on the report.
At its annual product launch event earlier this month, Apple introduced an upgraded line of iPhones, alongside a slimmer iPhone Air, and held prices steady amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs that have hurt the company’s profit.
