The first foldable iPhone, which Apple is expected to unveil at a launch event to be held on Thursday, September 10, at 2:00 a.m. Japan time, was a project that former CEO Tim Cook had been promoting for more than 10 years, Bloomberg’s Mark Garman reported. The price is over $2,000, and the company is reportedly currently discussing a price of $2,199.
Meanwhile, Nikkei Asia reported that the production pace remains at a few hundred units per day. Initial stock is expected to be extremely low, and it may be difficult to obtain at the time of release. Eight new products are expected to be introduced at this event, and for Japanese readers, the focus will be on the price, release date, and stock status on the day of the announcement.
Mr. Cook is confident and leads development in Asia
According to Garman, during a trip to Asia around 2020, Cook saw many consumers using foldable smartphones from companies such as Samsung and Huawei, and was convinced that Apple should also get involved, so he ordered the acceleration of development. Officials say Mr. Cook was one of the project’s earliest and strongest supporters.
Apple’s hardware department is said to have been researching folding terminals and flexible displays even before Samsung released the first Galaxy Fold in 2019. Internally, it is called by the development code “V68,” and some employees are calling it the “iPhone Ultra” because it is positioned higher than the existing iPhone.
The announcement event will be the first big stage for John Tarnas, who took over as CEO on September 1st. Mr. Tarnas is said to have led the project to completion through his own influence, and Mr. Cook is expected to watch the announcement from the audience seats as chairman.
Due to lack of memory, the price is proposed to be $2,199
In the early stages of development, Apple aimed to keep the price under $2,000, at $1,999. It’s the same strategy that brought 2017’s iPhone X to $999, below the $1,000 milestone.
However, due to a lack of memory supply, the cost has exceeded initial expectations, and it has been reported that a plan to raise the price to $2,199 is currently being discussed. The high-capacity storage model could cost close to $3,000.
By comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro starts at $1,099, and the latest folding smartphones from Samsung and Google start at about $1,899. Apple seems to have determined that it will be commercially viable even at a high price, based on the fact that the iPhone Pro with the maximum storage configuration has been selling for nearly $2,000.
Name and screen size match previous expectations
According to Garman, the device will have a 7.8-inch display on the inside and a 5.5-inch display on the outside, making it wider than most Android folding devices. Thanks to the hinge, which combines titanium and aluminum, and the cover glass, which was jointly developed with Corning, creases are less noticeable than existing folding terminals.
In December 2025, iPhone Mania reported that leaker Jon Prosser predicted that the model name would be “iPhone Ultra” and that it would be equipped with a main screen of about 7.8 inches and a sub screen of about 5.5 inches. This report matches this prediction in terms of both the internal name and the screen size, which means that the reading was largely correct. However, we will have to wait for the official name to be announced.
Will the Japanese price exceed the estimate of 270,000 yen?
The selling price in Japan is not yet known. Based on price information in China, iPhone Mania has reported an estimate of 283,800 yen to 366,800 yen including tax, and an estimate of 279,800 yen including tax for the cheapest model.
Foldable iPhone starts from 279,800 yen including tax ~ Latest information on expected sales price has emerged
However, these calculations are based on the Chinese price of around 15,000 yuan. If the $2,199 proposal is adopted, the Japanese price may exceed these estimates. There is also a view that it will cost over 350,000 yen if it is MagSafe compatible. You will need to check the exact price in Apple’s information on the day of the announcement, but before the announcement, we are conducting a reader survey asking how much you can afford.
Production is in the hundreds of units per day, initially there was a shortage
According to Nikkei Asia, production of foldable iPhones is currently limited to a few hundred units per day due to Apple’s extremely strict quality standards. The start of mass production was reportedly delayed by several weeks due to additional test production in August.
Apple is said to be particularly focused on improving the yield of screen flatness and hinge performance. Achieving the plan usually requires production of tens of thousands of units per day, and there is a possibility that there will be a shortage at the time of release.
On the other hand, Garman said that there are no major delays or supply chain problems, and he expects it to be released at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro, or very soon. Wall Street expects sales of 7 million to 10 million units this year, with demand expected to be strong even at record high prices.
The person who I promoted for 10 years will not be on stage.
Mr. Cook stepped down as CEO on September 1st and transitioned to the Tarnus structure. It is reported that Mr. Cook is not expected to appear in the announcement video on the day when the product that he has been promoting for more than 10 years will be released to the world.
Steve Jobs was once quoted as saying that Cook lacked passion for product development. The last thing Apple left behind was the company’s first folding iPhone, which Apple spent more than 10 years creating.
Source: ITHome・AppleInsider・9to5Mac
Source: iPhone Mania
