Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to introduce its first foldable iPhone at a product event on Wednesday at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, according to the supplied report.
The event would mark the first major iPhone launch under new Chief Executive John Ternus and could represent one of the most significant design changes to Apple’s flagship smartphone since the removal of the physical home button with the iPhone X in 2017.
The iPhone generated $209.6 billion in Apple’s most recent fiscal year, accounting for slightly more than half of the company’s total sales.
Foldable iPhone expected to carry price above $2,000
Ternus, who previously served as Apple’s hardware chief, is expected to deliver the keynote address. The event would provide his first extended public commentary since becoming CEO.
The new foldable device could be priced above $2,000, according to the report.
Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies have offered foldable smartphones since 2019, although the category has remained a relatively small segment of the broader smartphone market.
Analyst firms including IDC expect demand for Apple’s first foldable model to exceed the company’s initial production capacity. IDC also expects Apple to account for 40% of the foldable smartphone market by the end of next year.
Design and durability features in focus
Analysts expect Apple’s entry into the foldable category to draw attention to engineering areas including hinge durability and the visibility of the crease where the display folds.
Resistance to water and dust is another area being monitored. Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold carries an IP68 rating, indicating protection against dust and immersion in one metre of water, according to the supplied material.
The specifications and durability ratings of Apple’s expected foldable device were not provided in the source.
Apple could change annual iPhone release schedule
Wednesday’s event is also expected to signal a change in Apple’s annual product release timetable.
Analysts expect the company to introduce new Apple Watch models while concentrating its smartphone announcements on the foldable device and the iPhone Pro and Pro Max ranges.
Updates to Apple’s lower-priced iPhone models are expected to be delayed until next spring, according to the report.
The change is intended to spread Apple’s product launches more evenly across the year. The company’s sales have historically increased during the year-end holiday quarter in the U.S. and Europe.
Apple stock price
