10 years in making, Apple's first foldable iPhone debuts tonight
What's the story
Apple's first foldable iPhone is widely tipped to debut tonight at its 'Surprise and shine' event at 10:30pm IST. The project has been years in the making, starting well before Samsung launched the first Galaxy Fold in 2019. Work accelerated around 2020 after CEO Tim Cook noticed shoppers across Asia using foldables from Huawei and Samsung. The new phone, likely to be called iPhone Ultra, will start near $2,000, with top storage models likely to reach close to $3,000.
Product features
Design and display
The foldable iPhone will sport a 7.8-inch internal display, much wider than many Android foldables, but not unprecedented.
Google used a similar design for its first Pixel Fold in 2023 before quickly abandoning it.
Samsung recently adopted the form factor with its Galaxy Z Fold8, which has seen strong sales after years of favoring a squarer inner screen.
Design considerations
Size and proportions
The folded device will be about the size of a passport, while its unfolded proportions would resemble those of a Magic Trackpad.
This design is intended to make the folding display ideal for watching videos and multitasking.
The outer screen is a relatively short 5.5-inch one, making it easier to hold and fit in pockets.
On the rear, it will have two cameras: main and wide-angle. The handset will be powered by A20 Pro chip, based on TSMC's 2nm process.
Market impact
Impact on Apple
The launch of the foldable iPhone marks a major shift in Apple's product line-up.
It is the biggest single design change in the nearly 20-year history of the iPhone, which makes up about half of Apple's sales.
The device will be a test for new CEO John Ternus, who took over on September 1 and is expected to usher in a new era for Apple products with this launch.