Apple unveils iPhone Duo, its new folding phone that costs at least $3K

At Apple's September 9 event, the company unveiled a new lineup of devices, including new Apple Watches, the iPhone 18 Pro and the foldable iPhone Duo. However, the standard iPhone 18 was conspicuously absent. Rumors suggest that Apple plans to release the iPhone 18 early in 2027, and there are several reasons why the company may have delayed its entry-level model to the following year.

This pivotal moment marks the first event under new CEO John Ternus, and it's still unclear if he will stick to Tim Cook's approach or change the course of Apple.

The foldable iPhone Duo represents a bold move into a niche market, but Apple has successfully integrated it between its existing devices. The RAM shortage has made memory and components pricier, which might explain why the iPhone 18 Pro has a $100 price bump over its predecessor, and the current iPhone 17 has also become more expensive.

It is possible that Apple is pushing its more basic phones to next year to generate more revenue, as the iPhone 18 Pro is likely to be priced higher than the iPhone 18. Another potential reason for the delay could be to space out different models and better meet demand, taking into account the production complications arising from the RAM shortage.

Nabila Popal, senior research director at International Data Corporation, believes that this move is a brilliant strategy, allowing Apple to spread its shipments more evenly throughout the year and shine a spotlight on the premium models this fall. The iPhone 18's delayed release may not harm its sales, as baseline iPhones from the fall of 2024 and 2025 already made up 16% of Apple's total shipments during those periods.

Despite the trend disappearing in 2026, Apple and Samsung have lost confidence in slim phones following low sales for the iPhone Air and Galaxy S25 Edge. Nonetheless, Apple's slim designs likely contributed to making foldable phones thinner.

Apple is likely to release the iPhone 18 in 2027, earlier in the year, similar to when it launched the iPhone 17E (March 2026). This change in schedule would set a new pattern for Apple, with more affordable phones being announced earlier in the spring and its next generation of top-tier premium iPhones in the typical September launch window. This approach would give each lineup its own well-deserved attention and spotlight, according to IDC's Popal.