Industry analysts predict that Apple's foldable iPhone (iPhone Ultra) will ship more than 10 million units in its first year of release.

Apple is expected to announce its first foldable iPhone, tentatively called the ' iPhone Ultra ,' at its September 10, 2026, event . Industry analysts predict that this iPhone Ultra will ship more than 10 million units in its first year of release.

Apple to Ship 10 Million Foldable iPhones in Year One, IDC Says - Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-26/apple-to-ship-10-million-foldable-iphones-in-year-one-idc-says

Here's how many foldable iPhones IDC expects Apple to ship - 9to5Mac
https://9to5mac.com/2026/08/26/heres-how-many-foldable-iphones-idc-expects-apple-to-ship-in-one-year/

Apple will hold an announcement event on September 10, 2026, at 2:00 AM. This event is expected to feature the announcement of the iPhone Ultra, Apple's first foldable iPhone, which is expected to sell for around $2,000 to $2,500 (approximately 320,000 to 400,000 yen).

Apple to hold 'Surprise and shine.' announcement event on September 10th at 2 AM; new iPhone expected to be unveiled - GIGAZINE

According to research firm Counterpoint Research, the introduction of the iPhone Ultra will allow Apple to account for 29% of the panel procurement volume in the foldable smartphone display panel market by 2026.

'Foldable iPhones' are predicted to account for 29% of the total procurement of panels for foldable smartphones in 2026 - GIGAZINE

Furthermore, it is predicted that the entry of the iPhone Ultra into the foldable smartphone market will increase the average selling price of foldable smartphones by 18%.

'Foldable iPhone' is predicted to raise the average price of foldable smartphones by 18% - GIGAZINE

Nabila Popal, Senior Research Director at market research firm IDC, has now told Bloomberg that she predicts iPhone Ultra shipments will exceed 10 million units in its first year.

Apple's iPhone Ultra is reported to have a passport-sized aspect ratio, and a foldable smartphone with a similar aspect ratio is the Galaxy Z Fold8 , released by Samsung in August 2026. The Galaxy Z Fold8 is priced at $1,899 (269,800 yen including tax in Japan) for the model with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.

According to a report by Counterpoint Research, Samsung led the foldable smartphone market by capturing a 40% share in 2025. However, it is predicted that Samsung's share will fall to 32% by 2026, with Apple accounting for 25% of foldable smartphone shipments in 2026 alone.

IDC's outlook suggests that Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone market 'will help avoid a double-digit decline in foldable smartphones this year.' They further added that 'the foldable smartphone market will grow 12.6% this year and accelerate to 18% next year.'

In addition, IDC predicts that Apple will account for 40% of total shipments in the foldable smartphone market by 2027.