Apple is committing up to $100 million over three years to Pennsylvania-based Perryman Company for titanium used in the $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo, as the company faces unusually long wait times and supply constraints ahead of Friday's retail launch.
Apple said Tuesday it will invest up to $100 million over three years in Perryman Company, a Houston, Pennsylvania-based materials firm, to produce titanium for the $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo and other Apple products — the latest move in the company's effort to expand its domestic manufacturing footprint.
The agreement calls for Perryman to melt, forge, and roll grade 5 titanium, which Apple said will contain at least 80% recycled material. The metal serves as the structural enclosure for the Duo, providing durability for the device.
The announcement arrives as Apple grapples with severe supply constraints on its first foldable phone, which goes on sale in stores Friday. Online delivery estimates for some Duo models stretched to roughly 14 weeks on the first day of preorders, the longest wait Morgan Stanley said it had recorded for a new iPhone in a decade.
JPMorgan analysts estimate Apple will ship roughly 8 million to 9 million Duo devices this year, below earlier expectations of approximately 10 million, due to those constraints. Apple did not say whether the Perryman agreement would increase near-term production capacity.
Apple also announced Tuesday that it is expanding its partnership with Delaware-based Qnity Electronics, which will manufacture advanced films used in the variable-aperture camera system on the iPhone 18 Pro. The feature allows the phone's main camera to adjust light intake depending on shooting conditions.
"We're thrilled to expand our work with companies producing advanced materials and components for our newest iPhone lineup right here in America," Sabih Khan, Apple's operating chief, said in a statement.
The announcements are part of Apple's American Manufacturing Program, which the company launched in August of last year. At that time, Apple raised its planned domestic spending by $100 billion to a total of $600 billion. Then-CEO Tim Cook appeared at the White House for that announcement as President Donald Trump pushed Apple and other technology companies to increase U.S. production.
Apple noted that nearly 100 components used in the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro are produced by American companies across more than a dozen states. The company also highlighted ongoing partnerships with Broadcom for U.S.-made chips, Corning for specialty glass used in iPhones and Apple Watches, and Amkor, which is building a semiconductor packaging and testing facility in Peoria, Arizona.
The final assembly of most iPhones continues to take place overseas, even as Apple has been vocal about its stateside investments since the start of Trump's second term. New CEO John Ternus, who took over from Cook on September 1, has inherited both the supply pressure and the political backdrop shaping Apple's manufacturing strategy.
Apple said preorder demand for the Duo had been "nothing short of extraordinary" but has not indicated whether it plans to boost production targets. With the phone set to reach store shelves Friday and wait times stretching into early 2027 for some configurations, the company's ability to close the gap between supply and demand will be closely watched in the weeks ahead.
Sara Montes de Oca is the Editor in Chief of TechEchelon. Previously a correspondent and producer in Washington, D.C., covering business, finance, and politics.
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