Lewis Lovelock

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iPhone 18 Pro and the First Foldable iPhone: Everything Pointing to 8 September

Lewis Lovelock
Lewis Lovelock··5 min read
Apple iPhone Fold, 18 Pro, 18 Fold

The foldable iPhone has been "next year's iPhone" for about five years running. This time, it looks real. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman - the most reliable name on Apple's plans - now expects Apple's first foldable to launch this September, right alongside the iPhone 18 Pro.

Here is what the reporting actually says about the date, the design and the price, and whether it is worth holding your upgrade for.

For the wider picture, I have rounded up every Apple product still coming in 2026 elsewhere on the site.

The date: 8 September looks most likely

Apple almost always holds its iPhone event in the first full week of September. This year, Labor Day falls on Monday 7 September, which rules out the usual slot, so Gurman points to Tuesday 8 September as the most likely keynote date, with 9 September as the fallback.

Expect the familiar rhythm around it: pre-orders the Friday of that week, and phones on shelves the following Friday. Nothing about the format is changing - it is what is on stage that is different.

The foldable is finally on track

For years the foldable was stuck in "in development" limbo. Gurman's latest reporting is notably firmer. As he put it directly:

"Apple's foldable iPhone is - as of now - on track for a September debut with the iPhone 18 Pro. While supply could be limited initially, it's also on track to go on sale at the same time - or soon after - the Pro models."

The design is expected to be book-style - a phone that opens into a small tablet with a wide inner display - closer to Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold or the Oppo Find N than a flip phone. The one caveat worth setting expectations around is supply: first-generation, hard-to-make hardware tends to sell out fast, so if you want one at launch, be ready on pre-order day.

iPhone 18 Pro: what is changing

The foldable will grab the headlines, but the 18 Pro is the phone most people will actually buy. The expected upgrades are a proper generational step:

  • A20 Pro chip - the new top-end Apple silicon.
  • A smaller Dynamic Island - Apple slowly shrinking the cut-out.
  • A simplified Camera Control button - a rethink of the control introduced on the 16 Pro.
  • Variable aperture on at least one rear camera, giving real control over depth of field.
  • Apple's C2 modem with support for 5G browsing over satellite.
  • A new Dark Cherry colour option.

None of it is revolutionary on its own, but taken together it is a more meaningful update than the 17 Pro was.

If you shoot ProRAW on the current Pro models, that extra camera control pairs well with editing on-device - I have covered how to apply LUTs to iPhone ProRAW photos without needing Lightroom.

What it will cost

Here is the part to brace for. The iPhone 18 Pro line is rumoured to cost $100 to $300 more than the current generation. The foldable, as an all-new and expensive-to-build device, is widely expected to be the priciest iPhone Apple has ever sold.

There is a bigger force at work here too. The iPhone dodged Apple's mid-cycle price rises earlier this year, but the memory shortage pushing up Mac and iPad costs has not gone away - and a new flagship is exactly the moment Apple can pass those costs on without much pushback. If you are budgeting for an upgrade, plan for more than last year's figure.

What is not coming until 2027

If you are after the cheaper end of the range, this is not your event. The standard iPhone 18 and the budget iPhone 18e are expected to launch separately in spring 2027, not this September. The autumn show is a Pro-and-foldable affair.

Should you wait?

If you are due an upgrade and you want the best camera and chip, waiting for September is an easy call - we are only a couple of months out, and buying a 17 Pro now means paying near-full price for last year's phone right before its replacement.

The foldable is a harder question. First-generation Apple hardware is usually where Apple learns in public - think original Vision Pro, or the first Apple Watch. Unless you specifically want a folding phone and are comfortable paying a premium to be an early adopter, the 18 Pro is the safer buy. If you shoot a lot on your phone, it is also the one that pairs best with a proper mobile rig - my iPhone Creator Pack is built around getting the most out of a Pro camera.

FAQ

When is the iPhone 18 Pro coming out?

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects Apple's iPhone event around 8 September 2026, with 9 September as a fallback. That points to pre-orders the same week and general availability the following Friday.

Is Apple really making a foldable iPhone?

According to Gurman, yes - Apple's first foldable iPhone is on track to debut in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, in a book-style design, though early supply may be limited.

How much will the iPhone 18 Pro cost?

Reports suggest the iPhone 18 Pro line could be $100 to $300 more than the current generation, with the foldable expected to be the most expensive iPhone yet. Ongoing memory-chip cost pressure makes a price rise more likely than not.

When is the regular iPhone 18 coming?

The standard iPhone 18 and the cheaper iPhone 18e are expected to arrive later, in spring 2027, rather than at the September 2026 event.

Sources