Imminent iPhone Launch: Will Apple Unveil Its First Foldable Phone?

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With Apple's new product unveiling event just one day away, there is growing anticipation over whether the company will reveal its first foldable (flip-style) smartphone as widely expected.

Apple logo. The Asia Business Daily DB.

On September 9 local time, Apple is scheduled to introduce its latest iPhone and other new products at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, United States.

The most closely watched aspect is whether Apple’s first foldable phone will make its debut. In the market, speculation about product names such as "iPhone Ultra" and "iPhone Duo" is circulating, and companies that manufacture iPhone cases are already preparing perfectly fitted accessories in advance, signaling that the product’s launch is accepted as a given.

According to market research firm IDC, Apple’s foldable phone is expected to sell more than 10 million units in its first year, with cumulative sales reaching 17 million by next year. IDC also predicts that Apple's market share in the foldable segment could reach 31 to 40 percent.

Nabila Popal, senior research manager for smartphones at IDC, said, "Even if it comes with a high price tag, the foldable iPhone will achieve broad success," adding, "It would not be surprising if this product becomes the ‘Hermes Birkin bag’ of smartphones in China."

Bloomberg and other foreign media have reported that, when folded, the device will be about the size of a passport, resembling Samsung Electronics’ recently released Galaxy Z Fold8. There are also expectations that it will feature Apple's latest iPhone chip, the A20 Pro, along with an in-house communication chip dubbed C2, and that compared with existing foldable smartphones, the crease along the hinge will be less visible.

John Turners, CEO of Apple

However, a common forecast is that instead of adopting Face ID facial recognition for unlocking, the device will utilize the Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and that a telephoto camera will not be included. The price of Apple's first foldable smartphone is estimated to exceed USD 2,000 (about KRW 2.7 million) per device, reflecting its all-new design and the recent sharp increase in memory semiconductor prices.

This event also marks the first major test for incoming CEO John Turners. Turners is known for steadfastly supporting the launch of the foldable smartphone, which Apple has been planning for the past decade. Within the company, he is considered a hardware expert, regarded as the right person to introduce such an engineering-intensive product.

In a memo to employees on his first day as CEO, September 1, Turners wrote, "The major launch event scheduled for next week will be astonishing," adding, "We have high hopes for the future, which not only includes the amazing products already in development, but also products we cannot yet imagine but will dream of and create together."

According to Bloomberg, former CEO Tim Cook, who has transitioned to the role of executive chair of the board, will attend the event as an audience member but is not expected to take the stage. Apple is also expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro, the new Apple Watch smart wristwatch, and the next-generation AirPods wireless earphones at the event.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.