As Apple reportedly gears up to announce its first foldable iPhone on September 9, Bloomberg reports that IDC has a bullish outlook on the device’s performance during its first year. Here are the details.
IDC bullish on iPhone Ultra first-year shipments
Next month at its “Surprise and shine” event, Apple is widely expected to announce its first book-style foldable iPhone, which rumors say could cost roughly $2,500.
Despite years-long skepticism around the category, Counterpoint Research recently forecast that book-type devices will account for 76% of global foldable smartphone shipments in 2026, up from 52% in 2025, with Apple’s entry helping drive overall market growth of 21% year over year.
Now, IDC is out with an equally optimistic look at just how many foldable iPhones it expects Apple to ship in its first year of availability
Bloomberg reports that, according to IDC’s senior research director, Nabila Popal, Apple is expected to “deliver more than 10 million shipments in its first year,” despite its steep price tag.
For reference, Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8, which features a passport-like aspect ratio similar to the one Apple is reportedly planning for its foldable iPhone, starts at $1,899 with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM.
A recent Counterpoint Research report noted that while Samsung led the foldable smartphone market in 2025 with a 40% share, its share is expected to drop to 32% in 2026, with Apple projected to capture 25% of shipments in 2026 alone.
It is important to note that while Counterpoint’s projection covers only the 2026 calendar year, IDC’s estimate of more than 10 million shipments spans the foldable iPhone’s full first year of availability.
That said, both reports point to an optimistic outlook for the iPhone Ultra’s performance.
Looking ahead, IDC notes that Apple’s entry into the foldables market will help “avert a double-digit percentage decline for foldables this year,” adding that this category “will grow 12.6% this year and accelerate to an 18% increase next year.”
IDC also predicts that Apple “will eventually account for 40% of all foldable shipments in 2027.”
To read Bloomberg‘s full report, follow this link.
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