Overview
- Apple confirmed a product event for Sept. 9 and is widely reported to be preparing its first foldable iPhone with an internal display near 7.8 inches and new A20 Pro chips for iPhone 18 Pro models, though those device details remain unannounced by the company.
- Bloomberg and other reports place the expected Apple foldable above US$2,000, giving it a premium position against concrete prices unveiled this week by rivals.
- Xiaomi officially launched the Xiaomi 18 Fold with a 7.58-inch internal screen, XRING O3 3nm chip and prices starting at 10,999 yuan, while Huawei introduced the Mate XT2 with a 10-inch internal display and prices from 19,999 yuan with sales beginning Sept. 12.
- Coverage and leaks say Apple has shifted its product cadence so Pro models and the foldable appear first and standard iPhone 18 models arrive in 2027, and the company is prioritizing a less visible crease, A20-class silicon, camera changes and AI-enabled Siri demos.
- The broader market context shows foldables are a small but fast-growing premium niche, Huawei leads Chinese foldable shipments, and rising component costs—especially memory—are pushing prices higher and influencing how manufacturers set launch pricing.