Apple is preparing to present its first foldable iPhone on September 9, marking the company's entry into a market Samsung and Google established years ago.
The announcement follows a major leadership transition at the technology company, as John Ternus has taken over as chief executive officer. He succeeds Tim Cook, who stepped down from the position after 15 years.
Apple has recently expanded its product line with the affordable iPhone e series and the ultra-thin iPhone Air, but the new device represents its first folding hardware. The presentation will take place during Apple's annual event, where the company is also expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The base model iPhone 18 has been delayed until early 2027 and will launch alongside the iPhone 18e.
Last year, Apple introduced the iPhone 17 family on September 9, with pre-orders opening on September 12 and shipments beginning on September 19. A similar timeline is expected this year, although Bloomberg noted that initial availability of the folding device could be limited because of a lower production rate.
Technical specifications
Leaked details indicate the device will feature a 7.8-inch inner screen and a 5.5-inch outer screen. Both displays will use OLED LTPO panels and offer a 120 Hz refresh rate. The phone will run on iOS 27 and be powered by an A20 Pro processor manufactured using a 2 nanometer process.
The device will include 12 gigabytes of RAM. Customers will have storage options of 256 gigabytes, 512 gigabytes, 1 terabyte, and 2 terabytes. It will feature an Apple C2 modem that supports 5G satellite connectivity.
The camera system will consist of a 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, and a 24-megapixel front camera, but it will not feature a telephoto lens.
The battery capacity will range between 5,400 and 5,800 milliampere-hours. The phone will exclude Face ID and use Touch ID instead, and Apple is testing a stylus to use with the device.
Market competition
Early reports suggested the phone might be called the iFold, iFlip, or iPhone Fold. In April, the Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station stated that Apple could name the device the iPhone Ultra, a claim supported by MacWorld.
This name could conflict with Samsung, which recently rebranded its most advanced folding device as the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra to distinguish it from the standard Galaxy Z Fold8. The Galaxy Z Fold8 features a design similar to a passport.
The upcoming Apple device and the standard Galaxy Z Fold8 both adopt a book-style design that is shorter and wider than standard smartphones. It remains to be seen whether Apple will use the Ultra name or choose a different title to separate itself from Samsung.
The foldable iPhone is expected to cost between 2,300 and 2,500 dollars, which translates to between 2,000 and 2,160 euros. This price point positions it against the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, which starts at 2,199 euros, and the standard Galaxy Z Fold8, which begins at 1,999 euros.
Samsung and Google released their latest folding smartphones over the past two months with their most advanced specifications. Google sells the Pixel 11 Pro Fold starting at 1,899 dollars in the United States, but the company does not offer the phone in the Spanish market.
