Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at its annual fall product event, marking the most significant change to the device since its introduction in 2007. The new model, which opens and closes like a passport to double its screen size, will also serve as the first big test for the company's new CEO, John Ternus, who assumed the role on 1 September.
Event details and expected pricing
The product release event, titled "Surprise and Shine", begins at 10am Pacific Standard Time on Apple's campus in Cupertino, California, south of San Francisco. While competitors have released foldable smartphones since the late 2010s, this will be a first for the iPhone maker.
Apple is expected to price the phone north of $2000, more than some competitors charge for their foldable devices. A Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, for instance, retails for $1899. Much remains unknown about Apple's device, including its name, though it is rumored to be called either the iPhone Fold or the iPhone Ultra.
Prototype history and features
Apple reportedly began testing prototypes of its folding iPhone display in early 2021, though at the time there were no plans for its launch, according to a Bloomberg report. The rumored phone will be about 5.5in when closed and 7.8in when opened. It is also not expected to have Face ID because the device is too thin to hold the camera that would enable facial recognition scanning; reports indicate it will only offer Touch ID instead.
Apple is also expected to make several more routine announcements, including new iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max models. Though the foldable iPhone may take center stage, demand for foldable phones makes up only a small sliver of overall mobile device sales. Customers' interest in standard iPhones remains high, as evidenced by Apple's most recent robust earnings.
Other product updates and new CEO
The company is also expected to unveil new iterations of some of its other products at its events and over the next few months, including updates to its Apple Watch and AirPods lines, according to Bloomberg, as well as its first-ever touchscreen MacBook.
Ternus will take the stage as CEO for the first time, marking the beginning of his tenure as head of Apple, replacing outgoing CEO Tim Cook. In a note to employees on his first day, Ternus said he was excited about "the incredible products already in the works and the ones we haven't even imagined".
"I'm honored to be stepping into this role at what is truly the greatest company in the world, and I am so excited about everything we have in store," Ternus wrote in his letter. "We have a huge launch next week that's going to be phenomenal. Thanks for everything you've all done to make it possible."
