Apple's first foldable iPhone has become a test of how far India has come as a manufacturing base, and the answer is sobering. As India-assembled iPhones reach record export levels, Apple kept development and assembly of its most complex phone, the iPhone Duo, in China. The decision points to a gap that Pune Times Mirror summed up this way: India has become indispensable to Apple's assembly operations, but not yet to its engineering.
South Korea's major semiconductor, display, and electronics parts factories are staying open through the Chuseok holiday as AI-driven memory demand and new Apple iPhone panel production keep lines running. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are continuing output at key plants, while display and MLCC makers are also maintaining round-the-clock operations.
Vivo unveiled its new X500 series imaging flagship phones in Shanghai on September 21, 2026, aiming to build a stronger moat in mobile imaging and break through more aggressively in the premium smartphone market. As rising memory prices force handset makers to lift retail prices, IDC expects worldwide smartphone shipments to fall 16.7% in 2026 to just over 1 billion units.
Industry sources say Valve is expected to launch a new Steam Deck in 2027, setting up a tougher contest for Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM) Quanta as China's Huaqin moves to win the manufacturing order. The winner has not yet been confirmed.
Apple has changed its iPhone launch cadence this year, splitting its high-end releases into two waves. The iPhone 18 Pro series went on sale on September 18, with Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, set to follow on October 23.
