Apple is launching a foldable iPhone this week under brand new management. According to TechCrunch, incoming CEO John Ternus (promoted from Vice President of Hardware Engineering) takes over from Tim Cook as the September 9 event begins. It's a significant moment for leadership transition.
The foldable iPhone Ultra will cost more than $2,000, a price point that positions it as a luxury device. TechCrunch notes it's cheaper than the Vision Pro ($3,500) but sits in premium territory for consumer electronics.
Apple is moving into a market Samsung entered over five years ago. Samsung launched its first foldable phone in 2019, and Apple spent that time refining the technology. Per TechCrunch's sourcing from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, early testers report the device has a "premium feel," folds into a pocket, and unfolds to a 7.8-inch display. Apple made tradeoffs: no telephoto camera, no Face ID (Touch ID instead). For $2,000-plus, that's a notable omission.
Ternus is a hardware engineer taking the helm at a moment when hardware must deliver. Tim Cook built Apple into a services-and-ecosystem company. Ternus is inheriting a firm betting heavily on a physical device at a physical event. The pressure is on him to demonstrate he can drive the kind of innovation that draws consumers.
TechCrunch reports Apple will also announce new AirPods, HomePods, and the non-foldable iPhone 18 line. The foldable is the main event, and Ternus's opening statement as CEO. If it succeeds, he's proven himself a capable leader. If it fails, he's the executive who bet on an outdated concept.
Tech insiders are watching whether Apple can do what Samsung hasn't, make a foldable that feels necessary rather than experimental. The $2,000 price tag suggests Apple believes it can. September 9 will tell.
