Apple’s foldable iPhone takes center stage under new CEO

Apple is widely expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at a launch event in Cupertino on 9 September 2026. It will be the first major showcase led by new CEO John Ternus, who succeeded Tim Cook earlier in the month. The keynote will be read as a hardware moment and as an early signal of how Ternus wants Apple to compete in phones.

Pre-event reporting points to a device often called the iPhone Duo, with US pricing estimates starting around $2,000 for a base storage tier near 256 GB. That figure would place Apple above typical starting prices for current Samsung and Google foldables, and well above a standard iPhone Pro Max. Buyers will want a clear reason to pay that premium beyond the Apple logo on the hinge.

Analysts see the launch as both a hardware bet and an early test of Ternus’s leadership after Cook’s long tenure. Apple has stayed with slab phones longer than some rivals. A foldable entry signals that the company thinks the category is ready for a mainstream push, or at least for a premium niche that still moves inventory through the holiday quarter.

Foldable phones are one of the few smartphone segments still expected to grow this year. Buyers usually want a larger inner screen for reading, maps, and video without carrying a tablet. The trade-offs have been crease visibility, hinge durability, and software that still feels stretched from a smaller phone layout. Apple’s software story will matter as much as the metal and glass.

For Apple buyers, the main questions are durability, price, and whether the larger screen is worth learning a new form factor. Cases, pockets, and one-handed use all change when a phone folds. Service plans and screen-repair costs also matter more when the display is the expensive part of the device. A cracked inner panel is a different repair problem than a cracked slab phone.

Competitors already sell mature foldables. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line and Google’s Pixel Fold give shoppers a baseline for battery life, camera quality, and app behavior on tall outer screens. Apple will need clear demos of multitasking, typing, and media to justify a higher expected price. Hands-on reviews after launch will test crease visibility under bright light and battery drain with the panel open.

App makers will also be watching. Foldables only feel useful when messaging, browsers, and productivity tools adapt to the wider canvas. Apple has a history of pushing developers when a new display size arrives. Expect early marketing to show split apps, larger keyboards, and media that fills the inner screen without awkward letterboxing.

Investors will watch pre-orders and supply as closely as the keynote video. Foldable yields can limit how many units ship in the first quarter. If Apple starts narrow and expands later, that would match how it has paced other new designs. If stock appears widely on launch week, the company is signaling confidence in manufacturing partners and hinge reliability.

Carriers and retailers will shape the first-week story too. Financing offers, trade-in values, and limited colorways often decide whether a $2,000 phone feels reachable. Compare those offers with current foldable deals before assuming Apple’s sticker price is the price you will actually pay after incentives.

What to watch after the event is the confirmed price, storage options, weight, and repair policy. Ignore rumor scores until hands-on reviews test the hinge after weeks of use. If you are shopping now, compare the expected Apple figure with current foldables and with a non-folding Pro Max, then decide whether the bigger canvas is worth the premium for how you actually use a phone each day.