Mass production of the iPhone Ultra has been underway for at least some weeks, but quality control inspections are reportedly rejecting all but a few.
Reports have varied for months over whether the iPhone Ultra is delayed because of manufacturing problems, or whether those have been resolved. Now according to Nikkei Asia, however, production has been very slow.
Reportedly, Apple introduced a further inspection and verification process for the device during August. An unspecified source said that the additional process is concerned with production quality rather than there being manufacturing problems.
"The surface flatness and the performance of the hinge are among the details where Apple is asking for better production yields," said the source. All of this has "pushed back commercial production for weeks," although suppliers are working "around the clock."
Previous reports had concentrated on issues regarding the hinge of the iPhone Ultra. At one point it was claimed that Apple was having to redesign it from scratch, but then a subsequent report said the existing liquid metal design would become an industry standard.
It appears that the design is no longer an issue, but the complexity of it may be why yields are low. This further verification stage was presumably introduced because Apple wasn't satisfied with the quality of the iPhone Ultra devices being produced.
Reportedly, manufacturing slowed in late August to no more than a few hundred units per day. The iPhone Ultra reportedly entered its manufacturing test phase in April 2026, and by July it was claimed that full production was underway.
It's surprising, though, that it appears to have taken into August for Apple to implement corrective measures over the quality control. Nikkei Asia has a reputation for being poor at extrapolating Apple's plans, but a very good one for its sources within the supply chain.
Despite the bottleneck, it is still expected that Apple will announce the iPhone Ultra at its September 9 event. Separately, there had already been reports that supplies might be constrained, and that consequently Apple may initially only release the iPhone Ultra in the US.
