Apple to Launch Foldable iPhone on September 9, Ushering in the Ternus Era
Apple announced that it will hold its annual major product launch event on September 9 at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, with the slogan "Surprise and shine"; new CEO John Ternus will lead the major hardware launch for the first time in his role.
The event is expected to unveil Apple's first foldable iPhone, as well as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. The official invitation from Apple did not list specific product names, and information about related models comes from Bloomberg and industry media expectations, with the final product lineup to be confirmed at the event.
The foldable iPhone will mark Apple's official entry into the foldable smartphone market dominated by Samsung. Market rumors suggest that the device may be named iPhone Ultra, featuring a book-style foldable design; the name, screen size, price, and release date have not yet been confirmed by Apple.
The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to come with faster chips, longer battery life, and camera upgrades. Bloomberg reports that at least the larger model may feature a mechanical variable aperture; this remains product specifications reported by the supply chain and media, not confirmed parameters by Apple.
The standard iPhone 18 and second-generation iPhone Air are not expected to be showcased at this September event, as Apple plans to push some non-Pro models to a spring 2027 release, concentrating high-end models and foldable new products in the fall sales cycle.
The event is scheduled to start at 10 AM Pacific Time on September 9, and Apple will livestream it via its official website, Apple TV, Developer App, and YouTube. Ternus will succeed Tim Cook as CEO on September 1, with Cook transitioning to executive chairman.
Market mechanisms suggest that the foldable iPhone may shift Apple's high-end user upgrade demand from the traditional Pro series to higher-priced devices, driving the supply chain for flexible OLEDs, hinges, ultra-thin glass, precision assembly, A-series chips, and high-density batteries. Beneficiaries include suppliers with good yield rates for foldable screens, precision machinery, and high-end display capacity; those under pressure are traditional flagship smartphones and component manufacturers that cannot meet Apple's high specifications.
Source: Public Information
ABAB AI Insight
The real signal from this launch event is Apple's hardware strategy shifting from "annual minor upgrades" to "high-end product line reorganization." Placing the first foldable iPhone alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series in the same fall window, while postponing the standard version to spring, indicates that Apple is attempting to concentrate the highest profit, highest technology content, and strongest media attention into a single high-end release cycle. Therefore, Ternus's first major show after taking over is not only a product update but also a demonstration of his control over the hardware roadmap.
The capital path will shift from scale updates of mature flat devices to more valuable complex components. Foldable models require flexible OLEDs, hinges, composite screen protectors, ultra-thin body structures, heat dissipation, battery stacking, and stricter reliability testing; these components have a higher unit value than ordinary smartphone parts, but initial yield rates are low, certification cycles are long, and supplier concentration is higher. If Apple positions the Ultra to maintain a price point of at least $2,000, profit expansion will depend on its ability to control material costs and repair risks.
A historical comparison is the iPhone X in 2017, which pushed the starting price of the iPhone to the $999 range with its full-screen, OLED, and Face ID features: Apple does not compete with Android manufacturers on price but transforms user upgrade cycles into higher ASP through new hardware forms. The risks of foldable screens are higher because Samsung has long operated in this category, and consumers are aware of its value and durability pain points; Apple must prove that creases, hinge lifespan, thickness, software adaptation, and after-sales service can provide sufficient differentiation.
This represents a shift in pricing power. Smartphone hardware has gradually become homogeneous in flat form, and performance and lens parameters are difficult to sustain significant price increases; foldable screens redefine screen area, portability, and usage scenarios, creating new high-price tiers for manufacturers. The mechanism is that users pay not just for chip upgrades but for entering a new form of product line; if Apple masters design, system adaptation, supply chain yield, and brand narrative, it can transfer the premium originally belonging to Android foldable manufacturers into its own ecosystem.
ABAB News · Cognitive Laws
Growth in mature categories often relies on reinventing the high-end price range
New forms first raise the average transaction value, then validate real demand
Product line reorganization is essentially a redistribution of profit pools