On September 9, Apple will step into a new era — not merely unveiling a phone, but introducing a transformed version of itself. Under first-time CEO John Ternus, the company appears poised to enter the foldable smartphone market in earnest, a category it has long observed from the margins. The event is less a product launch than a declaration: that Apple believes the moment for reinvention has arrived, and that it intends to lead rather than follow.
Apple's Sept. 9 Event Teases iPhone 18 Pro Features Under New CEO
Apple's first foldable iPhone arrives under a new CEO
So this is Apple's first foldable iPhone, and it's coming September 9 under a new CEO. Why does the CEO change matter here?
Ternus has spent his career inside Apple's hardware teams. When a new leader's first major act is introducing a foldable phone, it tells you something about what the company believes matters going forward. It's not just a product—it's a statement about priorities.
But we should be careful here. We know the event is September 9, we know Ternus is the new CEO, and we know the logo hints at foldable tech. We don't actually know the full feature set yet, and we don't know the price or positioning.
Right. So the 10 million unit projection from IDC—is that based on actual demand signals, or is it an educated guess?
It's an analyst projection, which means it's informed by market research and supply-chain intelligence, but it's not a guarantee. IDC is essentially saying: if Apple executes well and prices it reasonably, this could move real volume. But foldables have been niche so far.
Exactly. Samsung's been shipping foldables for years and they're still a tiny slice of the overall market. Ten million would be huge for the category, but we won't know if that's realistic until we see the actual device and its price.
What about the competition angle? Is Apple late to this?
Late, yes. But Apple has a history of entering categories after others and reshaping them through design and integration. The question is whether foldable technology has matured enough that Apple can do that here.
And we simply don't know yet. The logo hints at it, analysts are projecting it, but until September 9, everything is inference.
Le Pouls
- Apple's September 9 event carries unusual weight — it is the first keynote under new CEO John Ternus, making the stakes personal as well as commercial.
- The official event branding is already doing the talking, with design elements strongly suggesting a foldable display is central to the iPhone 18 Pro's identity.
- Analysts at IDC are projecting 10 million foldable iPhone shipments in year one — a volume that would jolt a segment long dominated by Samsung's Galaxy Z lineup.
- Apple's entry at that scale would not be a cautious experiment but a market-reshaping move, forcing competitors to respond to a new premium standard.
- The September 9 date preserves Apple's familiar launch rhythm, but the foldable form factor beneath it marks the sharpest design departure the iPhone line has seen in years.
On September 9, Apple will step into a new era — not merely unveiling a phone, but introducing a transformed version of itself. Under first-time CEO John Ternus, the company appears poised to enter the foldable smartphone market in earnest, a category it has long observed from the margins. The event is less a product launch than a declaration: that Apple believes the moment for reinvention has arrived, and that it intends to lead rather than follow.
Apple has set September 9 as the date for its next major product event, and the occasion carries more significance than a typical annual reveal. It will be the first iPhone keynote delivered under John Ternus, the newly appointed chief executive who built his reputation inside Apple's hardware engineering ranks. His debut on the world stage will be defined by what he introduces — and what he introduces appears to be a genuine departure.
The event's own branding has begun to hint at what's coming. Visual elements in Apple's official promotional materials point toward foldable display technology as a centerpiece of the iPhone 18 Pro. This is not rumor or supply-chain inference — Apple itself is telegraphing the direction, suggesting the company feels confident the technology is ready.
The industry is already taking the prospect seriously. IDC projects Apple will ship around 10 million foldable iPhones in the device's first year — a figure that would make an immediate impact on a segment that has, until now, been largely Samsung's domain. Foldables have remained a niche within the broader smartphone market, but an Apple entry at that volume would signal something more than curiosity.
For Ternus, the September event is both an introduction and a statement. His first act as CEO will be presenting a product that breaks from the incremental refinements that have defined recent iPhone generations. Whether consumers embrace the new form factor — and whether Apple's execution justifies the premium price such devices command — will only become clear once the device reaches hands. But the signal Apple is sending now is unambiguous: it is ready to compete in a space it has long watched from the sidelines.
Apple has locked in September 9 for its next major product reveal, and the timing carries weight: it will be the first iPhone launch keynote under John Ternus, who recently took over as chief executive. The event marks a threshold moment for the company—not just a new phone, but a new voice at the helm introducing it to the world.
The event's visual branding has already begun to telegraph what's coming. Design elements embedded in the official logo appear to reference two significant features for the iPhone 18 Pro, with particular emphasis on foldable display technology. This isn't speculation from leakers or supply-chain whispers; Apple's own promotional materials are hinting at the direction. The company has chosen to lead with this imagery, suggesting confidence in the technology and its readiness for the market.
Industry analysts are already pricing in what a foldable iPhone could mean at scale. IDC, the research firm, has projected that Apple will ship approximately 10 million foldable iPhones during the device's first year on the market. That's a substantial volume for an emerging category—a signal that the firm expects real demand, not a niche experiment. For context, foldable phones have remained a relatively small segment of the overall smartphone market, dominated by Samsung's Galaxy Z series. An Apple entry at that production level would represent a genuine shift in how consumers think about premium phones.
The choice of Ternus to lead this announcement is itself noteworthy. He arrives at the CEO role with deep roots in Apple's hardware engineering and product development. His first major public act as leader will be introducing a device that represents one of the company's most significant design departures in years. It's a statement about direction—that foldable technology is not a side experiment but central to Apple's vision for what comes next in the premium smartphone space.
The September 9 date also places the announcement squarely in Apple's traditional launch window, maintaining the rhythm consumers have come to expect. But the substance of what's being announced—a foldable form factor—breaks from the incremental refinement that has characterized recent iPhone generations. Whether the market is ready for that shift, and whether Apple's execution can justify the premium pricing such devices typically command, will become clear once the device is in hands. For now, the company is signaling that it's ready to compete in a category it has largely sat out until now.
Citations marquantes
IDC projects Apple will ship approximately 10 million foldable iPhones during the device's first year on the market— IDC analyst projection