Overview
- Apple has scheduled a “Surprise and shine” launch for Sept. 9 to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro lineup and its first foldable, according to multiple reports.
- Market firm IDC projects an average selling price of about $2,550 for the foldable—widely called the iPhone Ultra—with other analysts and leaked carrier listings reinforcing a $2,000+ starting price.
- The iPhone 18 Pro models are widely reported to include an A20 Pro chip built on TSMC’s 2nm process, a smaller Dynamic Island, and camera upgrades such as a 48MP sensor with a variable aperture.
- Coverage cites acute mobile DRAM and NAND shortages plus wafer‑level packaging and foldable panel yield challenges as the technical and cost drivers behind higher prices and likely limited launch allocations.
- Analysts expect near‑term effects on consumers and the market: tight early stock and regional rollouts for the new phones, with IDC forecasting the foldable could sell millions and add tens of billions in revenue by the end of 2027.