Apple Enters Foldable Era With Nearly $3,000 iPhone

Apple is widely expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone at an event in Cupertino, Calif., marking the company’s most significant redesign of its flagship product since the iPhone X eliminated the physical home button in 2017. The launch will also be the first major product presentation led by new CEO John Ternus, a former Apple hardware chief who has generally maintained a low public profile. The foldable iPhone could cost more than $2,000 US, making it Apple’s most expensive smartphone and testing the company’s ability to persuade consumers that the device’s benefits justify its price. Apple is reportedly hoping to repeat the original iPhone’s success in making an existing but niche technology mainstream. Foldable phones have been available from Samsung, Huawei and other manufacturers for years, but they still represent only a single-digit share of the global smartphone market. Analysts believe Apple’s late entry could give it time to address weaknesses that have limited adoption, including fragile hinges, visible screen creases, poor dust and water resistance, shorter battery life and cameras that often lag behind conventional premium phones. Apple is expected to focus on building a durable, refined hinge and minimizing the crease in the display. Industry analysts at IDC predict strong demand and estimate that Apple could capture 40 percent of the foldable-phone market by the end of next year, even if supply is constrained. The event is also expected to change Apple’s usual product calendar. Rather than refreshing its less expensive iPhone models in the fall, the company may delay those updates until spring while concentrating on the foldable iPhone and its Pro and Pro Max models. The strategy could help reduce the sharp seasonal sales spike Apple typically experiences during the holiday quarter in the United States and Europe. The iPhone generated $209.6 billion US, slightly more than half of Apple’s sales, in the company’s most recent fiscal year.

Apple has unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, marking the most significant redesign of its flagship product in years and the first major Apple event led by new CEO John Ternus. Designed like a passport, the Duo opens horizontally into a wide display that can also be used vertically. It has a smaller exterior screen when folded and is Apple’s thinnest phone when opened. The device will start at $2,999 in Canada and $1,999 in the United States, although the reason for the roughly $239 difference between the Canadian price and the U.S. price converted into Canadian dollars was not immediately clear. Pre-orders begin Oct. 17, with the phone becoming available Oct. 23. Ternus described the Duo as a transformational product intended to provide an iPad-like experience in a pocket-sized device. He criticized existing folding phones as awkward for activities such as scrolling and watching video, while highlighting the Duo’s custom hinge, dual displays, consistent aspect ratio and titanium body. The launch is strategically important because the iPhone generated $209.6 billion US in Apple’s most recent fiscal year, accounting for slightly more than half of the company’s sales. Ternus must now persuade customers to purchase a foldable phone priced near $3,000. Apple also introduced the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, which retain conventional designs, along with AI-related features. Apple Reference Image and support for SynthID are intended to help verify whether images are authentic or AI-generated, although Apple Reference Image will not be available in the European Union or China. The phones will use the A20 Pro chip to improve on-device AI performance. Apple announced new AirPods with noise cancellation and upgraded controls, as well as the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, emphasizing health features. Ternus also promoted Apple Intelligence and an updated Siri, while stressing that AI processing occurs on the device whenever possible to protect privacy.

Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at its annual hardware event in Cupertino on Sept 9, 2026. The launch will be the first major product event led by John Ternus, who became chief executive on Sept 1 after succeeding Tim Cook. Ternus, 51, joined Apple in 2001 and rose through the company’s design and engineering ranks, eventually overseeing teams responsible for its entire product lineup, including the iPhone. He has described the event as “phenomenal.” The foldable device is widely rumoured to be called the iPhone Ultra and could cost about US$2,000. It is expected to use a compact design with a smaller external screen when closed and a much larger display that unfolds, combining smartphone portability with a tablet-like viewing area. The product represents a significant test for Apple, which has not produced a major breakout product since the AirPods launched a decade ago. Samsung introduced the first mainstream foldable smartphone in 2019, but foldables still account for less than 2 per cent of global smartphone shipments. Research firm IDC estimates Apple could capture 31 per cent of the foldable market by the end of 2026 and 40 per cent by 2027. However, the launch comes amid supply shortages caused by strong demand for AI-related chips, with smartphone shipments projected to fall and average prices to rise. Apple may also limit its regular iPhone lineup this year, potentially postponing the affordable iPhone 18 until 2027 while introducing only Pro models. Other expected announcements include AI-enhanced Siri, new watches, AirPods, an Apple TV box and a HomePod mini. Apple may also reveal a seven-inch smart-home hub, although its timing remains uncertain.