A $2,000 iPhone is coming soon as Apple aims for high-end buyers

A $2,000 iPhone is coming soon as Apple aims for high-end buyers. Fallon/Bloomberg / Getty Images Hardware What we expect from the upcoming Apple launch Amanda Silberling 8:58 AM PDT · September 7, 2026 It’s finally happening — this week, we are (probably) about to see Apple’s first foldable iPhone, more than five years after Samsung launched its first foldable phone.

What happened

It may take years to settle down. by Rani MollaSep 7, 2026, 12:00 PM UTCPart OfRAM price hikes: the latest on the global memory shortagesee all updates When Apple debuts the next generation of iPhones this week, they’re likely to come with an unwanted change: a higher price tag. Apple’s launch event on Wednesday is likely to feature the iPhone 18 and 18 Pro — as well as a foldable iPhone Ultra with a starting price near $2,000. Apple’s annual iPhone release events are always interesting in one way or another, but this year’s presentation is one of the most anticipated in a while.

As Tim Cook hands off the CEO role to former Vice President of Hardware Engineering John Ternus, people have high expectations for Apple’s next devices, especially since the company is embracing an entirely new form factor. What we think we know so far about the foldable “iPhone Ultra” If Apple has made its consumers wait over half a decade for it to enter the foldable market, its first attempt had better be good — especially since reports indicate that the phone will cost more than $2,000.

According to Bloomberg’s Apple insider Mark Gurman, the foldable iPhone has a premium feel, fits nicely into a pocket, and opens up into a wide, iPad-like display. However, the phone is expected to have a dual-lens rear camera system with a main and an ultra-wide lens, similar to what’s on Apple’s more basic iPhones.

The wider picture

Apple is also expected to release some new devices in the iPhone 18 line. Gurman has reported that “the cameras essentially act as eyes for the Siri digital assistant and aren’t designed to take photos or video. ” Instead, the earbuds’ components allow it to “capture visual information in low resolution. ” Topics Apple, Hardware, iPhone When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. TechAppleiPhoneThe real reason your phone is getting more expensiveSoaring RAM costs are driving up prices across the tech industry.

It may take years to settle down. by Rani MollaSep 7, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The VergeTechAppleiPhoneThe real reason your phone is getting more expensiveSoaring RAM costs are driving up prices across the tech industry. Those aren’t necessarily Apple’s prices — few companies have more leverage with suppliers — but the figures show how dramatically the component costs of building a high-end phone have changed. Rather than releasing its full lineup at once this fall, Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max alongside its first foldable iPhone, while holding the standard iPhone 18 and refreshed Air until spring 2027, according to Bloomberg.

Counterpoint’s supply-chain tracking shows Apple preparing roughly 10 percent more iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max units for September through December than it allocated to the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max during the same period last year. On Apple’s last earnings call, the company forecast slower growth due partly to worsening supply constraints, including for memory chips, and said higher memory costs had directly reduced its gross margin.

What has been reported

Apple may be better positioned than most companies to pull off higher prices. Rani MollaAppleiPhoneTechMore in: RAM price hikes: the latest on the global memory shortageGoogle tells Android app developers to cool it on memory use, or elseAllison JohnsonAug 27Sony Xperia 10 VIII: Same specs, new price. Leaks and rumors have left just about everyone expecting news about Pro-level iPhones and a long-awaited Apple foldable device. What to ExpectThanks to leaks from sources like Bloomberg, the event is widely expected to be the moment Apple finally announces its long-rumored foldable iPhone.

Apple is also expected to focus on premium products, chiefly the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4. That means Apple may push the launch of its base iPhone 18 to the spring of 2027. As for snagging devices right after Apple announces them this week, unconfirmed reports suggest the company will open iPhone preorders on September 12, a day later than it usually offers them, out of respect for the victims of 9/11.

Skip to main contentSave this storySave this storyEvery year around this time, Apple announces new iPhones.

What happens next

Apple’s iPhone event will be held on September 9 at 10 am Pacific (1 pm Eastern), announced last week with the title “Surprise and Shine! ” If you tune into the livestream, expect the announcement of an iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and, if all the rumors and widely held analyst expectations are true, the first look at an Apple foldable device. Based on leaks and the ongoing tech rumor mill and its decent track record for figuring these things out, Apple is expected to prioritize its more expensive, premium devices this year and hold off on announcing its base model iPhone 18.

Apple’s portfolio has also expanded, and the iPhone Pro and Pro Max lineup are more enticing for people already prepared to spend the money on a new iPhone. That may not be the case anytime soon for folding phones, which are seeing higher prices than ever. Apple’s folding iPhone is rumored to cost around $2,000. To help mitigate those high costs, Apple is turning to financing options and trade-in programs. Julian ChokkattuHow to Watch the Apple September EventApple’s annual hardware launch event may feel different as the company welcomes a new CEO alongside a folding iPhone.

The report has been compiled by The Daily Waves using information reported across techcrunch.com, theverge.com, wired.com. Details are presented according to the information available at the time of publication and may change as authorities, organisers or other relevant parties provide updates.