Overview
- Mid‑July reports in several outlets cite a Weibo leaker saying Apple has increased orders for vapor chamber cooling plates and that mass production of those plates may have begun.
- The anonymous leaker claims Apple asked suppliers to prepare roughly 10 million foldable iPhones in 2026, up from an earlier forecast of seven to eight million units.
- Vapor chambers move heat by evaporating and condensing a small amount of liquid and were first used in Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro, which makes them a plausible choice for thinner or novel enclosures.
- Previous supply‑chain reporting says engineers resolved hinge issues and panel yield problems, which would clear the way for a higher production plan ahead of a possible September launch.
- The new order and volume figures come mainly from a single unverified Weibo source and lack independent confirmation so the key things to watch are supplier shipment data, other supply‑chain reports, and any Apple statements or September announcements.