Apple Expected to Unveil First Foldable iPhone, iPhone 18 Pro Series Wednesday
FlatRigor 4925 sources
The Story
Apple is expected to host its "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, September 9, where it is likely to unveil its first foldable iPhone and the iPhone 18 Pro series. The foldable iPhone is anticipated to be passport-shaped, short, squat, and wide, with an expected price of over $2,500. New CEO John Ternus will host his first major iPhone launch at the event. Days before Apple's anticipated debut, Huawei launched its Mate XT2 foldable smartphone on Monday, September 7, and Xiaomi unveiled a new flagship foldable phone featuring proprietary chips on the same day. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 launched in July, and Huawei's Pura X Max launched in April. Retailers are reportedly cutting prices on the existing iPhone 17 series by up to £200 (Rs58,000) to clear stock before the new models arrive. Reported discounts include £150 off iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, and £200 off the 512GB iPhone Air. Forbes reported Apple could discontinue the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max after the iPhone 18 announcement. Analysts expect the Apple foldable to generate over $45 billion in revenue by the end of next year. Apple is also expected to announce a deep overhaul of Siri, potentially tapping Google's AI technology behind the scenes.
The Spread
Flat
What they agree on
- Apple is expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone and the iPhone 18 Pro series at an event on Wednesday, September 9.
- Huawei and Xiaomi launched new foldable smartphones on Monday, September 7, days before Apple's anticipated event.
- The upcoming foldable iPhone is expected to be passport-shaped and carry a price tag of over $2,500.
- Retailers are reportedly cutting prices on the existing iPhone 17 series to clear inventory ahead of the iPhone 18 launch.
- John Ternus will host his first major iPhone launch as Apple's new CEO.
Where they split
- The Sunday Guardian and ARY News (English) focus on leaked details of the iPhone 18 Pro series, including potential color finishes like Dark Cherry and Blue.
- Quartz and Global Times (China) emphasize the timing of Huawei and Xiaomi's foldable phone launches just days before Apple's event, highlighting the competitive landscape.
- The Verge provides a historical perspective on foldable phones, noting Apple's late entry compared to Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi.
- Barron's and Reuters include analysis on the potential stock performance impact and the challenge for Apple's new CEO John Ternus regarding AI and hardware innovation.
Source Perspectives
Left3 sources
Center14 sources