Apple's pre-launch production cadence for the iPhone Fold is gaining steam, as evidenced by its recent order for Samsung's 12GB LPDDR5X RAM in volume, albeit at a hefty price.
Apple secures the requisite 12GB LPDDR5X RAM for the iPhone Fold at a competitive price, which still equates to a year-over-year memory-based cost inflation of around 2x
According to the South Korean publication 'the bell,' Apple has placed volume orders for the 12GB LPDDR5X memory chips with Samsung. Also, given the ultra high-end status of the upcoming iPhone Fold, Apple's current pre-production cadence equates to an annual shipment volume that is less than 5 percent of the typical iPhone sales in a given year.
For context, do note that Apple shipped 247 million iPhones in 2025. This means the Cupertino giant expects the iPhone Fold to clinch annual sales of less than 12 million units.
Interestingly, Apple has managed to secure the 12GB LPDDR5X memory chips from Samsung at a very competitive price vis-à-vis other OEMs. Even so, the supply contract still entails a year-over-year price increase of around 2x.
Also, do note that Apple is securing DRAM for the iPhone Fold from other memory vendors as well, especially SK hynix and Micron, in a bid to improve its negotiation position. Nonetheless, Samsung is still expected to supply the lion's share of the iPhone Fold's LPDDR5X chips.
This comes as Apple appears to have ordered a 20 percent hike in the targeted initial inventory of the iPhone Fold, benefitting Foxconn in its capacity as the device's primary assembler.
Bear in mind, Apple has revised the design of the iPhone Fold over 10 times in the past five years or so. What's more, with the device all set for a debut in the fall of 2026, the production of its key components is now expected to ramp up from the end of the second quarter.
As per previous reports, the Apple iPhone Fold will reportedly feature a 'liquid metal' hinge and a titanium body, with the combo offering improved strength and weight distribution.
The iPhone Fold is expected to feature a passport-style, wide form factor, with its primary panel measuring ~7.7 inches, and the cover display measuring ~5.4 inches. It will also sport a near-creaseless design, with the Economic Times disclosing that the depth of the crease would be a minuscule 0.15mm. This would likely require a copious use of the Ultra-thin Flexible Glass (UFG) tech that Apple is said to have tested extensively, as well as a modified hinge mechanism.
Apple is also reportedly planning to apply a color filter - called the COE or Color Filter on Encapsulation - onto the protective encapsulation layer of the iPhone Fold's OLED panel, rendering the resulting displays lighter and much more efficient.
Other details include:
- A dedicated vapor chamber.
- A 2,713 x 1,920 resolution, with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
- Side-mounted Touch ID instead of Face ID.
- A20 Pro SoC, a 12GB RAM, in-house C2 5G modem.
- A 48MP resolution for the rear dual-camera setup.
- An in-display camera with a resolution of up to 24MP.
- A battery with a capacity of 5,400-5,800mAh.
- To launch as an eSIM-only variant.
- Projected price of around $2,399.
- Projected shipments in the first year of between 7 million and 9 million units.
About the author: Writing is my one incontrovertible passion. Over the past six years, he has authored over 2,200 distinct articles on financial and tech-related topics, spanning nearly 1 million words. And he has been a member of Wcctech mobile team since 2025. As an alumnus of the University of Toronto, Rotman Commerce Program, I bring nuance, in-depth knowledge, and a unique perspective to every topic that I cover. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling the world, exploring hidden confectionaries and restaurants as an aspiring food connoisseur.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
