California: Apple will hold its next major launch event on September 9, with the company expected to unveil its latest iPhone lineup and potentially introduce its first foldable iPhone.
The launch is expected to be an important moment for Apple as the company prepares to enter the growing foldable smartphone market. Analysts believe a high-end foldable iPhone could help increase Apple’s average selling prices and support margin growth.
The event will also come shortly after John Ternus takes over as Apple’s chief executive on September 1. Ternus, the company’s longtime hardware chief, is set to succeed Tim Cook, who will move into the role of executive chairman.
Ternus’ appointment has been widely viewed as a sign that Apple intends to build further on its strength in hardware and consumer devices.
Samsung Electronics currently dominates the relatively small but expanding foldable smartphone market. Apple has so far stayed out of the segment as rival manufacturers have experimented with premium foldable devices.
The expected launch comes at a challenging time for the consumer electronics industry. A severe shortage of memory and storage chips has pushed up component prices and weakened consumer demand. Apple has also increased prices across some of its Mac and iPad products to offset rising costs.
The company said in July that it was facing significant supply chain shortages and warned that the disruptions could affect sales during the current quarter.
Analysts expect Apple’s first foldable iPhone to feature a screen roughly similar in size to an iPad mini when fully opened. The device could give Apple a major opportunity to compete directly with Samsung in the premium foldable market.
Research firm IDC expects Apple to ship more than 17 million foldable iPhones by 2027. IDC also forecasts a 12.6 percent increase in global foldable phone shipments this year, even as overall smartphone shipments are expected to decline sharply.
Apple’s previous launch introduced a slimmer iPhone Air and several upgraded features across the iPhone 17 lineup, helping drive a strong consumer upgrade cycle. The September event could mark another significant step in the company’s smartphone strategy.
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