Apple's Foldable iPhone Could Cost $2,000: Citi Forecasts
Apple's highly anticipated foldable iPhone could set customers back at least $2,000, according to Citi analyst Atif Malik. The iPhone Ultra model is expected to feature dual front and rear camera systems, an OLED display with an ultra-thin glass cover for the inner foldable screen, and increased component content across its battery, vapor-chamber cooling system, and structural components.
The initial production of the foldable iPhone is reportedly limited to a few hundred units per day due to strict quality-control requirements. Citi expects major upgrades across the iPhone 18 lineup, including the A20 chip, variable-aperture main cameras for the Pro and Pro Max models, and Apple's own modems.
TSMC, Amphenol, and Foxconn could benefit from higher component content and production allocations tied to the iPhone 18 lineup. Citi forecasts 61.8 million iPhone 18 shipments in the second half of 2026 and total iPhone shipments of 246 million units for calendar 2026.
The foldable model is expected to remain a relatively small part of Apple's overall unit volumes initially, with a production plan of 7.5 million units in the second half of 2026, followed by another 4 million units in the first quarter of 2027.