Apple could be on the verge of making a major announcement as the company readies for its September 9 event. Industry reports and leaks are coming in, and we believe Apple will finally launch its first-ever foldable iPhone (the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra), as well as the new iPhone 18 Pro line. Apple has made it official on September 9, and the speculation that it might launch an iPhone Fold and take on the big players in the premium foldable smartphone market is not going away.
The event, themed “Surprise and Shine,” will take place at the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park and is expected to be one of the most significant Apple launches in years. It will also mark Apple’s first big product launch under new CEO John Ternus, Apple’s first product launch since Tim Cook became Executive Chairman. Analysts believe Apple is preparing a big hardware showpiece, and the foldable iPhone is probably going to be the main attraction.
A foldable iPhone has been rumoured for nearly ten years, but Apple has continued to hold back on the foldable category even as others like Samsung, Google and Huawei have come out with foldable phones. Many people think Apple has held off until the technology is mature enough to be able to maintain the design and durability standard of its quality of product development and longevity. The foldable phone will have a book-like structure that opens into a tablet-like display with a larger screen for productivity, entertainment and multitasking.
Leaks suggest the device will feature a 5.5-inch external display and a 7.8-inch internal foldable OLED screen provided by Samsung Display. Apple is also expected to be able to use advanced hinge technology that may minimise or eliminate the visible crease that has been a common criticism of foldable smartphones. ProMotion technology with a 120Hz refresh rate could also be included for smooth scrolling, gaming and video playback.
The foldable iPhone will also go up against the Pro phones in Apple’s portfolio, and will be the company’s most premium smartphone. The specifications are not known yet, but there is speculation that it will be powered by Apple’s next-generation A20-series chipset and feature artificial intelligence capabilities fed from Apple’s expanding AI ecosystem. Battery improvements, improved multitasking features and deeper integration with iPad-style workflows are also expected.
With the foldable iPhone, Apple will also release the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. These are expected to have better cameras, a bigger display, more processing power, better AI features, and new colours. In fact, Apple will probably use AI, computational photography, and performance improvements as core selling points in the Pro line of iPhones.
Pricing is one of the major talking points. The pricing of Apple’s foldable iPhone will likely be between $2,000 and $2,500, making it one of the most expensive consumer smartphones ever launched by Apple. The premium pricing strategy would put it in competition with Samsung and other high-end foldables and cement its status as a premium flagship product.
The foldable smartphone market is still relatively small compared to the larger smartphone market (and there is still huge room for growth). Research firms predict Apple's entry into the category could spur widespread use and a new generation of consumers to buy foldable phones and bring back interest in foldable phones. Industry predictions suggest Apple will ship millions of foldable iPhones in its first year if it delivers the seamless experience that the company needs to provide.
Although Apple has not publicly confirmed the existence, name or specifications of the foldable iPhone, expectations are at an all-time high ahead of the September 9 keynote. And in theory, a new era for the iPhone could begin at the event as the original iPhone revolutionised the mobile world two decades ago, and this could be Apple’s first major smartphone redesign since then.
