Apple's Foldable iPhone to Debut at $2,000 Price Tag

Apple's (AAPL) shares are trading near $320, about 5% under their record high, as the company prepares to unveil its first foldable iPhone at a product event on Wednesday. The highly anticipated device, likely called Ultra, is expected to be priced over $2,000 and will be Apple's most expensive iPhone since the original was introduced in 2007.

The new iPhone 18 is also set to be unveiled, along with updated Apple Watches and AirPods. Artificial intelligence (AI) will also take center stage at the event, which will be John Ternus's first keynote as CEO. Analysts expect around 10 million units of the foldable iPhone to be sold in the first year, while IDC forecasts more than 17 million shipments by 2027.

While a $2,000-plus price tag may test consumer sentiment, Apple's reputation for entering categories late but polished could help mitigate this risk. However, previous foldable devices have faced criticism over visible screen creases and fragile hinges, which would weaken Apple's tradition of delivering high-quality products if replicated.