Apple Abandons All-Glass iPhone Project, Foldable Model Takes Center Stage

Apple's decision to abandon its all-glass iPhone project has sent shockwaves through the tech industry. Analysts at Jefferies downgraded Apple's stock rating and lowered their price target, citing the cancellation of this ambitious project.

The all-glass smartphone was expected to be a top-of-the-line device, encouraging buyers to upgrade to more expensive Pro and Pro Max versions and increasing the average selling price (ASP) of iPhones. However, analysts now predict that the ASP growth for fiscal years 2026-2031 will slow from 9% to 6.1%.

Memory-related challenges are also a concern, with Apple testing a DRAM increase to 16 GB only for the iPhone 19 Pro Max. Rising memory prices could add an extra $60-$70 to the cost of this upgrade, raising questions about its viability.

The main hope for increasing the average iPhone price now rests on the foldable model, which is expected to start at around $2,099 and potentially reach $3,099 for the 2 TB version. However, analysts consider it a niche product with sales forecasted at approximately 14 million units in fiscal year 2028.