Apple may have discovered a way to limit the cost of its hinges inside the long-rumoured iPhone Fold. Not that we, the consumers, will see any of those savings by the time the Fruit Company is ready to show off its first entry into the foldable market, which, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, is slated for 2026.
Everything hinges on this
Even before Ming Chi Kuo reported that Apple would mass produce its hinges for roughly $70 per, far below the “market’s expectation,” rumours swirled that its foldable debut would also be its most expensive yet. A price of $2,000 (∼R34,000) was floated, and we don’t see Apple revisiting that — not with such big numbers on the table.
Ming Chi Kuo has proven knowledgeable about Apple’s production strategies in the past. He now reports that actual hinge production will, at first, fall to two companies — Foxconn, which is technically already part of the big fruit company family, and Shin Zu Shing. The two will work as a joint venture to get the folding tech out on time.
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“The hinge price decline is primarily driven by assembly design optimization and Foxconn’s involvement, rather than a steep drop in upstream component costs; benefiting from Foxconn’s capacity-expansion resources and ramp capabilities, the JV has therefore captured a larger share of orders,” Kuo said.
The venture will, however, only account for roughly 65% of Apple’s hinge needs, with the remainder of the job going to a company by the name of Amphenol. “Luxshare-ICT could join as a new hinge supplier as early as sometime after 2027,” Kuo continued. The addition of Luxshare-ICT could potentially see Apple’s costs slashed even further by the time it readies itself for a second round in the foldable ring.
