IT House reported on September 3 that according to TrendForce’s latest mobile phone industry research, Apple will adjust the pace of product release starting in 2026 and split it into two waves: autumn and spring. This fall will be led by the flagship iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, as well as the most anticipated first foldable iPhone 18 Fold (tentative name). As for the iPhone 18 basic model and other extended models, it is expected to be delayed until the first quarter of 2027.
TrendForce said that the iPhone 18 Fold, which is the biggest highlight of this conference, is expected to drive sales with Apple’s strong brand appeal. However, due to the late estimated shipment time of the phone this year, and the limited initial output and stocking, the effect of improving the overall penetration rate of foldable phones in the smartphone market cannot be immediate. It is estimated that the global share of foldable phones will remain at around 2% in 2026.
TrendForce said that Apple’s three new models to be released in the fall have been optimized in terms of processors, heat dissipation architecture, and optical systems, and their core specifications have been adjusted as follows:
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2nm processor has stronger performance: The A20 Pro processor is fully imported from TSMC’s 2nm process, providing a stronger computing power foundation for end-side AI computing and simultaneously improving power consumption;
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Chip heat dissipation technology upgrade: the memory packaging architecture is changed from InFO to WMCM, which shortens the signal transmission path and improves the heating problem of previous mobile phones during high-load operations;
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High-refresh screen saves power: The screen panel is upgraded to LTPO+ specifications, which further reduces the power consumption of the display system while maintaining a smooth and high refresh rate;
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Equipped with a mechanical variable aperture for the first time: For the first time, the main lens of the Pro series is equipped with a mechanical variable aperture, which improves optical depth of field control and dynamic range of full-scene exposure;
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Improved battery capacity and battery life: Thanks to the optimization of internal structural space, the battery capacity of the new machine has been improved. Among them, the Pro Max has a more obvious upgrade in battery life due to its larger body space.
It is worth noting that in order to strike a balance between slim design and practicality, iPhone 18 Fold, the first folding machine, made pragmatic choices in hardware; the lens configuration is dual-lens and uses traditional capacitive fingerprint recognition.
It is estimated that the iPhone 18 series pricing increase will be 10%-20%
However, memory prices will enter a super upward cycle starting from the second half of 2025, which will have a severe impact on the cost of new machines. TrendForce said that taking the Pro 256GB model as an example, memory costs in the third quarter of 2026 increased by nearly 400% compared with the same period last year. Although Apple actively negotiates prices for other components, it is still difficult to effectively alleviate the overall BOM (bill of materials) cost pressure.
Faced with high cost pressure, it is imperative for Apple to increase terminal selling prices. However, considering the weakening of the global macro-economy, the trend of conservative consumer spending, and the strategic consideration of expanding the existing territory against the trend, TrendForce predicts that Apple will adopt a milder price adjustment mechanism this time. It is estimated that the increase in new models will be controlled between 10% and 20%, and it will maintain market share through moderate profit transfers. As for the much-anticipated Fold series, the first foldable mobile phone, it not only brings technological breakthroughs in crease optimization, but also has the significance of pricing indicators for the first-generation products. The starting price is estimated to be between 2,099 and 2,299 US dollars (IT House Note: The current exchange rate is approximately 14,140 to 15,487 yuan). Higher configurations do not rule out exceeding the 3,000 US dollars (the current exchange rate is approximately 20,209 yuan) mark.
TrendForce analyzes that in an environment where hardware costs remain high, Apple’s Intelligence cloud services and software subscriptions are expected to accelerate profitability in the future, which will also become a key strategy for Apple to maintain its overall profit structure.
References:
2026 Apple Autumn New Product Launch Feature
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