The wait may finally be over. This week, Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone, arriving more than five years after Samsung introduced its first foldable smartphone.
Apple’s annual iPhone launch events are always notable, but this year’s presentation is shaping up to be one of the company’s most closely watched in years. With Tim Cook preparing to hand over the CEO position to former Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus, expectations surrounding Apple’s next generation of devices are particularly high. The company is also preparing to embrace an entirely new smartphone form factor.
Apple typically keeps details about upcoming products under wraps, but leaks are difficult to avoid, offering clues about what could appear at the September 9 Apple event. The foldable iPhone is undoubtedly the biggest attraction, but Apple is also expected to provide updates involving AirPods, HomePods, and the conventional iPhone 18 lineup.
What We Think We Know About the Foldable “iPhone Ultra”
After waiting more than half a decade to enter the foldable smartphone market, Apple’s first attempt will need to make a strong impression — particularly because reports suggest the device could cost more than $2,000. That would still put it below the $3,500 Apple Vision Pro headset, and unlike headsets, smartphones are products that consumers regularly purchase.
There are some encouraging reports from people who claim to have tested the device early. Bloomberg Apple insider Mark Gurman has said the foldable iPhone has a premium feel, sits comfortably in a pocket, and unfolds into a broad display resembling that of an iPad. The device is reportedly expected to feature a 5.5-inch outer display that expands to 7.8 inches when opened. When folded, its proportions are expected to make it shorter and wider than a conventional iPhone.
Keeping the phone thin enough to remain pocket-friendly when folded has reportedly required Apple to make certain compromises. One of them could be the omission of a telephoto camera, which may disappoint buyers willing to spend a substantial amount on the company’s most expensive smartphone. Instead, the device is expected to feature a dual-camera rear system consisting of a main lens and an ultra-wide lens, similar to the setup found on Apple’s more affordable iPhones.
Apple is also rumored to include MagSafe, its magnetic wireless charging and accessory technology. However, the company may reportedly leave out Face ID in order to conserve internal space, replacing it with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor integrated into a button on the side of the device. That may not represent a major sacrifice, since using a fingerprint button is arguably no more difficult than looking at a screen, although users accustomed to Face ID could need some time to adjust.
Like competing foldable smartphones, the iPhone Ultra is expected to support side-by-side multitasking, allowing users to operate two applications simultaneously, with one displayed on each half of the unfolded screen. Although the larger display will give the device an appearance similar to a compact iPad, the phone is reportedly expected to continue running iOS instead of iPadOS. That may not be a major concern given the processing power of Apple’s latest chips, which are reportedly powerful enough to support the experience. The same chip is also said to power Apple’s budget MacBook Neo laptop.
Another major issue facing foldable smartphones has been the visible “crease” that appears across their displays. On competing foldable devices, the crease can make it obvious that the screen is not a traditional flat panel. It is a difficult engineering challenge to overcome and one that may not justify the technical effort involved. However, Apple has reportedly developed a display designed to make the crease less noticeable.
You Can Still Buy a New iPhone That Doesn’t Fold
For consumers who have no interest in foldable phones — or who simply don’t want to spend twice as much on their next smartphone — Apple is also expected to introduce new models in the iPhone 18 family.
Leaks have provided some information about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but considerably less is known about the standard iPhone 18. The regular model is reportedly expected to arrive roughly six months after the September event, which would mark a first for Apple by putting its premium iPhone models on sale before the standard version.
Siri HomePods and AirPods With Cameras?
With Apple finally moving ahead with its Gemini-powered Siri AI update, the company is also expected to refresh the HomePod, its smart speaker and competitor to products such as Amazon’s Echo devices.
References to unreleased Apple products, including new HomePod models, were recently discovered by users examining a preview build of macOS.
The more unexpected discovery, however, involves AirPods that could include built-in cameras. In the same macOS preview, researcher Aaron Perris discovered a video showing a person wearing AirPods while picking up a book.
The video includes a voiceover explaining that Visual Intelligence could allow users to save things they see around them for later.
The idea of earbuds equipped with cameras could make some consumers uncomfortable, particularly as comparisons to Meta’s controversial “pervert glasses” are likely to emerge. Still, Apple’s long-standing emphasis on privacy offers some reason to believe the company could approach camera-equipped earbuds differently.
Gurman has reported that the cameras are essentially intended to function as eyes for Apple’s Siri digital assistant rather than as conventional cameras for taking photographs or recording video. Instead, the components inside the earbuds would reportedly allow them to capture visual information at low resolution.
