Sources: Apple's first foldable will be called iPhone Duo, with prices starting at $2,000 for 256GB of storage and sales starting as early as October (Mark Gurman/Bloomberg)

Apple is set to unveil new iPhones, including a foldable smartphone, starting today at 7:00 PM MESZ. Bloomberg reports that the foldable iPhone will resemble the dimensions of a passport, both folded and unfolded, with a display on the exterior and a larger one inside. This will be the first event under the leadership of John Ternus, who took over as Apple's CEO the following month.

The question is whether Apple can expand into this niche, as foldable smartphones have been a niche category until now, despite competitors like Samsung, Huawei, and Google offering such devices for years. IDC predicts that despite Apple's late start, it will lead the market segment within twelve months, holding 31% of the market in terms of units sold and 44% in revenue by 2027.

Currently, Huawei dominates with about half of the sold foldable smartphones, but due to US sanctions, they cannot use Google services or chips developed with American involvement. South Korean giant Samsung was the driving force in the foldable phone market, with its Galaxy Z Fold8. IDC expects a price of $2,500 for the foldable iPhone, while Bloomberg suggests the launch price will be closer to $2,199, lower than initially anticipated due to the chip shortage.

Apple will reportedly compromise on features like a telephoto lens and FaceID, opting instead for a fingerprint unlock. The fold on the central part of the unfolded display will be less noticeable compared to competitors. Apple is also expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and new Apple Watch models starting Wednesday. Alongside the foldable phone, Bloomberg suggests that the new Pro models may sell at a higher price point, unlike recent iPhone price hikes driven by storage costs.

For the new iPhone generation, the standard version will be released in the spring, deviating from the usual schedule.