The entire market surged. Apple went the other way.

Shares fell about 4% on Wednesday. Apple was one of the worst S&P 500 stocks on a day the index rose 2.3%. A Nikkei Asia report about problems with Apple's first foldable iPhone kicked off the sell-off.

The Setbacks Hit Three Key Areas

Nikkei said the hinge, the screen, and fitting parts into a thin body are all giving Apple trouble. April and early May will show if the plan holds.

If things go wrong, first units could ship months late. The news sent shares down 5% on Tuesday before a partial bounce.

Bloomberg Had a Different Take

Later that day, Bloomberg said the phone is still on track for September. Apple plans to make 7 to 8 million units. That's less than 10% of its 2026 iPhone total.

The Bloomberg report helped shares bounce back some. But sellers weren't done on Wednesday. Apple fell even as the rest of the market rallied on the ceasefire.

What to Watch

Apple has been the top new idea in consumer tech for two decades. The foldable phone should be its next big moment. Samsung, Google, and others have been in foldables for years.

If Apple nails the launch, the stock forgets this. If there's a real delay, the gap with rivals gets wider.