The first foldable iPhone: what we know about John Ternus’s keynote
Apple’s event on 9 September is the most eagerly awaited since the launch of the iPhone X, which marked a turning point
Apple’s keynote on 9 September is one of the most significant in recent years. Looking back, there hasn’t been this much anticipation since the launch of the iPhone X. Back in 2017, that event marked the debut of the form factor that Apple has essentially retained to this day, with the removal of the Home button and the introduction of Face ID. It also marked the debut of the Steve Jobs Theatre as a venue, alongside the newly opened Apple Park.
Apple’s first foldable
Once again, there are two major developments. The first is that John Ternus, who officially takes over as CEO today, will be leading the keynote – a role he has played for years as one of the key figures at hardware presentations. The second is that, according to all the rumours, Apple is set to unveil its first foldable iPhone. It is expected to feature a 5.5-inch external display, whilst the internal display, when unfolded, will measure 7.8 inches with a 4:3 aspect ratio, similar to the iPad. It will be very slim at 4.5 mm, thinner than the 5.6 iPhone Air. It appears there will also be a few features missing compared to the iPhone Pro models: it is expected to have two cameras rather than three, and Face ID is likely to be absent.
If we factor in the limited production capacity Apple will have initially, this reinforces the idea that this is a product for early adopters rather than one aimed at the mass market just yet. And here lies an important distribution issue: will it be available in Italia too, or will we not be among the first group of countries? There’s a lot to find out during the keynote. Along with the name: there’s talk of the iPhone Ultra, but when it comes to names, rumours are often wrong.
A new distribution strategy
One new development at this September event is that Apple will not be launching the full range. The new iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and the foldable model are expected to be unveiled. Not the standard 18 (the basic 17 was a significant step forward last year, and the market rewarded it). The 18, according to Bloomberg, is expected to arrive in early 2027 (perhaps as the 18e?).
The price is also unknown, given the current rise in memory prices, which is having a knock-on effect on the product. Ming-Chi Kuo, a leading analyst specialising in Apple, and Mark Gurman of Bloomberg (a leading authority) broadly agree on a price range of between 2,000 and 2,500 dollars. Ming-Chi Kuo speculates that, due to the well-known production issues, the foldable might not go on sale until spring.
