GoKawiilKey takeaways The foldable iPhone Ultra’s release date will likely be announced on Sept. 9, but it won’t come out that day.
Current rumors suggest it will hit store shelves later in September, or even October or November.
The first foldable iPhone will likely be a book-style format, potentially followed by a Razr-style clamshell design.
Design leaks suggest a wider, squatter look, similar to the original Google Pixel Fold.
It’s expected to cost between $2,000 and $2,500.
Apple’s fall launch event is Wednesday, and it could mean that Samsung, Google and Motorola may have to share the foldable spotlight with a new rival. After years of rumors, mounting reports suggest this could finally be the year Apple launches its first foldable iPhone, which might be called the iPhone Ultra.
But there could be a wait between announcing the foldable and getting it into people’s hands. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, as reported by MacRumors, says Apple could unveil the foldable alongside the iPhone 18 lineup, but the company may wait until later in the year to put it on sale, similar to the iPhone X launch in 2017. Apple sent out invites to an event on Sept. 9, where we expect the next iPhones to be unveiled — and likely the foldable as well.
That event will be a landmark for other reasons beyond the potential launch of a folding iPhone. It’s the first since outgoing CEO Tim Cook formally handed the keys to the Apple kingdom to its new head, John Ternus. To celebrate this occasion, CNET has been reliving fun and pivotal moments from our decades covering the company with our Apple a Day series.
A folding iPhone is expected to arrive at a starting price north of $2,000, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reporting that Apple has discussed starting prices as high as $2,200 — with larger storage configurations nearing $3,000. The name that’s stuck in the rumor mill for years, the iPhone Fold, might even change before it hits store shelves. Leaks increasingly point to “iPhone Ultra,” a label that would elevate the device above the Pro lineup and signal a new tier of Apple hardware.
Mock-ups of potential iPhone foldables, including a clamshell “iPhone Flip” on the left and a book-style foldable on the right, along with a flat iPhone for comparison on the bottom. Zain bin Awais/CNET
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