Foldable iPhone Ultra: Apple expected to unveil a revolutionary model on September 9

According to widespread expectations, Apple will introduce its first foldable iPhone as early as next month, with the device likely bearing the name "iPhone Ultra". The announcement is expected to take place alongside the unveiling of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max during the company's September keynote event, marking Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone segment – a market that competitors have been developing for seven years.

The company's updated schedule points to Wednesday, September 9, as the most likely date for the official announcement. According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, "September 8 or 9 are the most likely dates for the event". For its part, MacRumors notes that Apple usually sends media invites about two weeks in advance, which means they are likely to be sent out around August 25–26. Since Labor Day this year falls on Monday, September 7, industry observers rule out the possibility of the event being held on September 8, as Apple has never organized a fall event immediately following a holiday.

The event will also be the first led by John Ternus, who is set to take over as CEO from September 1. If the iPhone 18 Pro follows the usual release schedule, it and the foldable smartphone could go on sale as early as Friday, September 18.

According to available information, the iPhone Ultra will feature a book-style form factor, including a 5.5-inch outer display and an inner screen of about 7.6–7.8 inches – specifications almost identical to the recently introduced Galaxy Z Fold 8. Observers note that the inner 7.6-inch screen of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a 4:3 aspect ratio matches the size of the previous generation iPad mini, offering a tablet experience in a device that fits in a pocket.

The starting price is expected to be around "$1999". Among the claimed features are the A20 chip, Touch ID integrated into the power button, as well as a dual-battery system with a total capacity of about 4900 mAh. Due to limited space, the device may lack a telephoto lens.

The prediction platform Polymarket reports high confidence among traders that Apple will launch a foldable iPhone before 2027 – the probability of this in recent months has reached "89%", and in one of the posts, a figure of "97%" was even cited for the device's appearance this year. IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo predicts that in the first year, Apple could capture "34%" of the foldable device market in value terms, which could prove to be a turning point for a segment that in 2025 accounted for only "1.6%" of global smartphone shipments.

According to The Verge, foldable screen technology "is now mature enough for even Apple to trust" – recent improvements in durability, the reduction of the visible screen crease, and the introduction of silicon-carbon-based batteries have made new foldable devices only slightly thicker than regular flagship smartphones.