Apple increases orders for vapor chamber radiators, possibly for folding iPhones

According to Fixed Focus Digital, Apple significantly increased the number of orders for vapor chamber cooling systems, likely in preparation for its first folding screen phone model, expected to be released in September.

Sources from the supply chain previously revealed that Apple has asked partners to produce about 10 million folding screen iPhones in 2026, a sharp increase compared to the previous forecast of 7-8 million units.

Vapor chamber heat dissipation is not an unfamiliar component to many phone users. Apple first introduced this technology to the iPhone 17 Pro line last year. The system works by using a small amount of deionized water inside a closed heat exchanger. When the processor chip heats up, the water vaporizes, moves heat to the aluminum frame and radiates outward, helping the device maintain stable performance.

However, Fixed Focus Digital said that the first folding screen iPhone will have a new vapor chamber cooling system. Some sources say that the folding screen design that Apple adopts will pose unique cooling challenges, due to the thinner internal structure and limited heat dissipation space.

In addition to the folding screen iPhone, the increased supply of vapor chamber radiators is also expected to serve the iPhone 20 model launched in 2027 on the 20th anniversary of the first iPhone's birth. The device is expected to have two screen sizes similar to the Pro series: 6.3 and 6.9 inches, with the ability to change the design language and frame structure to achieve maximum border overflow. At that time, integrating a vapor chamber liquid cooling system is the optimal solution to help Apple maintain the device's thinness without reducing the performance of the new generation processor.

The information that Apple is investing heavily in vapor chamber cooling technology also matches the roadmap of device thinning and upgrading hardware configuration that the company is pursuing.

Apple plans to announce the iPhone 18 generation and folding smartphone in September. In particular, the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max may go on sale more than a week later, while the folding iPhone is likely to be sold in November or December. The standard iPhone 18 model will be available on the market in early 2027 along with the 18e series.