Foldable iPhone Ultra projected to have an average cost of $2,550

Utsanjan Maity
September 09, 2026

How much will the foldable iPhone Ultra cost? Market analysts at International Data Corporation (IDC) project an average selling price of $2,550 for Apple's upcoming device, with starting launch prices expected to begin at $2,000 or higher ahead of Apple's Sept. 9 event.

Apple logo

How Much Will the Foldable iPhone Ultra Cost at Launch?

As technology fans prepare for Apple's big iPhone launch event on Sept. 9, the biggest lingering question on everyone's mind is pricing. How high will Apple set the price point for its first ever entry into the foldable hardware space?

Early industry leaks have repeatedly pointed toward a starting price of $2,000 or more. Now, a new report from analysts at International Data Corporation (IDC) projects an average selling price of $2,550. IDC maintains an established reputation across the technology industry and is well known for its extensive mobile market research.

Because the foldable iPhone Ultra represents a brand new product category for Apple, there is no direct historical pricing baseline to determine exact retail figures. However, the latest IDC report strongly backs previous reports suggesting the luxury device will launch well above $2,000.

Understanding the Average Selling Price vs Starting Retail Price

It is important to clarify what an average selling price of $2,550 actually means for consumers. The iPhone Ultra will not necessarily set every buyer back $2,550 right out of the gate. The base starting price could be noticeably lower than the overall average selling price across all units sold.

An average selling price reflects the mean expenditure across all purchased configurations. Many consumers routinely elect to pay extra for models equipped with expanded internal storage tiers or premium finishes. As buyers choose configurations with more storage, the overall average transaction amount increases significantly.

Industry analysts examining what to expect from the iPhone Ultra have projected a launch price of approximately $2,399 for the base entry tier. For users opting for maximum storage capabilities, the final retail cost could reach up to $3,000.

Massive Revenue and Unit Sales Projections for Apple

Despite a high price point that places the device in ultra-premium territory, projections show that consumer demand will remain remarkably high. The market research firm projects that Apple will sell more than 17 million iPhone Ultra units by the end of 2027.

From a financial standpoint, these unit sales are expected to generate more than $45.7 billion in total revenue directly from the foldable line alone. This multi-billion dollar forecast highlights the sheer economic weight Apple brings to any product hardware sector it chooses to enter.

Generating tens of billions in revenue within its initial release window demonstrates that a significant portion of Apple's existing customer base is willing to pay premium prices for flexible display hardware.

How Apple Is Reshaping the Entire Foldable Smartphone Industry

Before Apple's entrance into the foldable market was factored in, the entire category was beginning to experience a noticeable slowdown. Adoption rates were tapering off as early enthusiasm among tech enthusiasts began to cool under existing market choices.

Apple's strategic entry is now credited with completely shifting the momentum of the entire foldable sector. According to Nabila Popal, Senior Research Director of IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker:

"Apple's entry into the foldable market has done more than reignite growth in a category that was losing momentum. It has fundamentally altered the market's trajectory. Without Apple, foldable shipments would have declined at a double-digit rate year over year."

This statement underscores the crucial role Apple plays in consumer electronics. By lending its brand credibility and ecosystem integration to foldables, Apple is single-handedly steering the market away from a severe double-digit year-over-year decline and returning it to robust positive growth.

Challenging Established Foldable Market Leaders Samsung and Huawei

For several years, manufacturers such as Samsung and Huawei have held dominant market share positions in the foldable phone space. They pioneered the category and built out multiple generations of dual-screen hardware before competitors joined in.

Apple's upcoming launch poses an immediate threat to this long-standing dominance. Market analysts project that Apple will rapidly capture around 40 percent of the global foldable market in terms of total unit shipment volume.

Even more impressive is the monetary share Apple is projected to secure. The report indicates Apple will account for more than half of the total dollar value of the global foldable market, effectively taking the lion's share of industry profits.

Commenting on this unprecedented market disruption, Popal highlighted how quickly Apple is set to alter the competitive landscape:

"Perhaps most notably, Apple is positioned to challenge Huawei and Samsung for leadership in markets where they have long dominated, an extraordinary outcome for a product expected to be less than two years into its lifecycle."

The Global Smartphone Market and the 2026 Memory Shortage Crisis

The broader smartphone market is navigating significant headwinds that make Apple's foldable growth numbers even more striking. The main challenge stems from an ongoing global memory crisis that is driving up the cost of critical hardware components.

Because of higher component costs, overall smartphone prices are rising across the board. As a result, market tracking data indicates that the rest of the global smartphone market will experience a contraction this year, with standard smartphone shipments dropping overall in 2026.

Within this contraction, the foldable smartphone category is projected to be the only mobile hardware sector that experiences growth during 2026. Consumers facing higher prices on standard smartphones appear more inclined to spend extra for a truly novel foldable form factor rather than paying inflated prices for incremental traditional updates.

Key Takeaways on the Foldable iPhone Ultra Cost and Market Impact

To help visualize how the upcoming launch affects both buyers and the broader industry, here is a breakdown of the key statistics and market projections:

  • Expected Base Retail Price: Analysts project an initial starting price between $2,000 and $2,399 for entry configurations.
  • Top Configuration Price: Models featuring maximum internal storage are projected to cost up to $3,000.
  • Projected Average Selling Price (ASP): The overall average selling price across all sold units is estimated at $2,550.
  • Forecasted Unit Sales: Apple is expected to ship more than 17 million units by the conclusion of 2027.
  • Total Projected Revenue: Foldable hardware is projected to bring in over $45.7 billion in gross revenue for Apple.
  • Global Market Share: Apple is forecasted to capture approximately 40 percent of global foldable volume shipments.
  • Global Market Value Share: Apple is projected to command over 50 percent of the entire financial value of the global foldable market.
  • Industry Growth Impact: Apple's launch prevents a projected double-digit year-over-year decline in global foldable shipments.

Why Consumers Are Prepared for a Higher iPhone Ultra Price

Paying over $2,000 for a mobile device represents a substantial commitment for any shopper. However, Apple's naming convention provides clues as to how the company plans to justify the premium tier. The "Ultra" branding was first established with the Apple Watch Ultra to designate top-tier durability, advanced hardware materials, and cutting-edge feature sets.

By applying the Ultra designation to the iPhone lineup, Apple signals to consumers that this device sits above standard Pro models. The intricate engineering required to build a reliable hinge mechanism, combined with specialized flexible displays, naturally inflates production overhead.

Furthermore, consumer purchasing patterns show an increasing willingness to finance premium hardware over multi-year carrier plans. This shift cushions the immediate impact of higher retail prices, allowing buyers to absorb an average selling price of $2,550 over manageable monthly installments.

Evaluating the Broader Value of the Foldable Hardware Category

The shift toward high-end foldable technology represents one of the largest hardware evolutions in the mobile phone industry over the past decade. For years, conventional slate smartphones have seen subtle iterative updates, leading to longer upgrade cycles among average buyers.

Foldable screens offer a fundamental shift in user experience by combining tablet-sized screen real estate with pocketable smartphone portability. This added utility is a key reason why analysts believe consumers are willing to pay a premium over standard devices.

As Apple prepares its launch, competitors will likely feel increased pressure to refine their own offerings and pricing models. Apple's entry not only legitimizes the foldable form factor for mainstream users but also sets a high commercial benchmark that competitor brands will strive to match.

What to Expect at Apple's September 9 Launch Event

With the Sept. 9 launch event approaching fast, speculation around official product announcements continues to build across the tech community. While leaks and analyst reports provide strong estimates regarding the final **iPhone Ultra price**, Apple's keynote address will finally confirm exact retail details.

In addition to final pricing tiers and storage configurations, the event is expected to showcase specific software features tailored specifically to take advantage of the foldable display layout. Custom multi-tasking interfaces and unique camera modes are anticipated to play a large role in demonstrating the hardware's real-world value.

Whether the official starting price lands right at $2,000 or trends closer to $2,399, the launch will mark a historic turning point for Apple's product portfolio and the broader mobile industry.

Top Apple Deals We Found This Week

While waiting for official announcements regarding new hardware lines, shoppers can find significant discounts on existing Apple products across various retail outlets. Here are the top Apple deals available this week:

Final Thoughts on the Foldable iPhone Ultra Price Expectations

While an estimated $2,550 average selling price places the upcoming foldable device at the upper end of consumer electronics, Apple's entry promises to revitalize the entire market. Driven by strong consumer interest and premium hardware features, the foldable **iPhone Ultra cost** reflects a new era of smartphone design that could see Apple capture over half of the market's total value in short order.



from Mashable
-via DynaSage