Apple has confirmed its "Surprise and Shine" event for September 9, 2026, where the iPhone Ultra is expected to debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models. Ahead of the launch, research firm IDC (International Data Corporation) has shared a positive forecast for Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
According to an exclusive Bloomberg report, IDC senior research director Nabila Popal expects Apple to ship more than 10 million units of the iPhone Ultra in its first year of availability. This figure is being forecast, keeping the expected $2,500 (approximately Rs 2,50,000) starting price of the foldable iPhone in mind.
Those expected sales and shipment figures line up with what has previously been reported from the production side. In July 2026, supply chain reports said Apple had ordered around 10 million units of the iPhone Ultra to be ready for launch next month.
IDC's demand forecast and Apple's own supply target arriving at the same number is a reasonable sign that both sides expect the phone to sell through. Given the current RAM crisis and the iPhone Ultra costing very high, Bloomberg notes that Apple is positive about the performance of its debut folding iPhone.
For context, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, which is a direct competitor to the iPhone Ultra and uses a similar passport-style aspect ratio, starts at $1,899 or Rs 1,79,999 for 256 GB. An iPhone Ultra at $2,500 would sit roughly $600 (approximately Rs 58,000) above it.
IDC Expects iPhone Ultra to Rescue the Foldable Market
Aside from a positive forecast for the iPhone Ultra, IDC also sees Apple's first foldable iPhone as a major boost for the global foldable market. The firm claims the iPhone Ultra sales could help avert a double-digit percentage decline for foldables this year.
As per IDC's preliminary analysis, after the launch of iPhone Ultra, the foldable category will grow 12.6% in 2026 and rise to 18% in 2027. The firm claims that Apple will eventually account for 40% of foldable sales in 2027.
If these predictions turn out to be true, Apple's entry into the foldable category, although late, will be monumental in shaping the future of folding phones globally. However, Apple's rise will come at the cost of Samsung.
Bloomberg notes that a separate Counterpoint Research report has projected that Samsung's foldable share will fall from 40% in 2025 to 32% in 2026, with Apple capturing 25% of shipments in 2026 alone. While IDC's forecast spans through 2027, Counterpoint is projecting figures for 2026 alone.
The firm has also noted that iPhone Ultra's launch will help book-style foldables account for 76% of global foldable shipments in 2026, up sharply from 52% in 2025.
Also, with Samsung and Apple now the two major players bringing the passpost form factor, IDC notes that by 2027, all other major OEMs will also bring their competitors, making the market more aggressive.
With the next Apple iPhone launch event being two weeks away, it will be interesting to see what the Cupertino giant has in stock for us. Moreover, it will finally put an end to speculations about whether the iPhone Ultra will even launch at the event.
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