At 1:00 a.m. Beijing time on Sep 10, Apple’s fall event “Shine On” puts phones center stage: the first foldable iPhone and an iPhone 18 Pro lineup that may look familiar but cost more.
Fold: Apple’s priciest iPhone
Reports cite an internal “iPhone Ultra” name, or simply “Fold”. Base config from about $2099 — Apple’s most expensive iPhone ever.
Book-style fold. For thinness, Face ID may give way to side Touch ID; rear cameras may drop to dual without telephoto.
China competition is tough: Huawei, Honor, OPPO, and vivo already ship mature foldables.
Pro: look similar, price higher
iPhone 18 Pro / Pro Max: 2nm A20 Pro, bigger battery, camera upgrades — built for on-device AI and imaging load.
Pricing is nearly set: BofA expects Pro / Pro Max up $150–$200 on memory and storage costs.
Fall cadence: only premium
No standard iPhone 18 this fall. Standard, Air, and 18e are reported for spring 2027. Holiday new iPhones are basically Pro and fold.
Split launches can lift ASP — and push price-sensitive buyers to wait.
Apple Intelligence: more critical for China SKUs?
Apple Intelligence lagged in China for nearly two years. Filings now show “Apple 智能”; Alibaba’s Qwen and Baidu are confirmed partners.
Landing in China ≠ full Siri AI day one. Confirm first features and where partners sit in the stack.
Stock and Ternus’s first scorecard
Events often see a short “sell the news” dip, then a 30–60 day recovery. Markets watch price hikes, Siri AI adoption, and fold demand comments.
Ternus took over Sep 1 and hosts within days — the foldable iPhone is only page one of a longer roadmap.