Apple is widely expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone at an event on 9 September, more than five years after Samsung launched the first foldable smartphone. The device, reportedly dubbed the "iPhone Ultra", is one of the most anticipated Apple launches in years, arriving as Tim Cook hands the CEO role to John Ternus and as Apple enters an entirely new form factor for the first time. The event is also expected to bring updates to AirPods, HomePods and the standard iPhone 18 line.

According to leaks, notably from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the foldable iPhone will cost more than $2,000 and feature a 5.5-inch cover display that expands to 7.8 inches when unfolded, alongside a shorter, wider profile than a standard iPhone. To achieve a slim, pocketable design, Apple has reportedly made trade-offs, dropping the telephoto lens in favour of a dual-lens main and ultra-wide camera system, and replacing Face ID with a side-mounted Touch ID button. The phone is expected to support side-by-side multitasking while still running iOS rather than iPadOS, powered by the same chip reportedly used in Apple's budget MacBook Neo, and is said to largely overcome the visible "crease" problem that has affected rival foldable devices.