Apple's foldable iPhone might be delayed, or almost ready

Rumor mill: Apple's long-awaited entry into the foldable smartphone market appears to be entering a critical phase, with new reports offering conflicting signals about the company's progress and production timeline. Some accounts point to unexpected engineering setbacks that could delay the device's debut, while others suggest Apple's manufacturing partners are already laying the groundwork for production to begin within months.

Nikkei Asia reported that Apple has encountered unexpected setbacks during the engineering test phase of its first foldable iPhone, raising the possibility of production delays. Sources familiar with the matter told the publication that the early test production phase has thrown up more problems than anticipated and will require extra time to work through. The report suggested that the first shipments could be pushed back by several months in a worst-case scenario.

But a separate account from Chinese leaker Instant Digital, cited by MacRumors, paints a ...