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The dawn of a new day at Apple is upon us. New CEO John Ternus is set to take the stage tomorrow in Cupertino, California (exactly 24 hours from now) to unveil Apple’s newest iPhones. It’s set to be one of the most (if not the most) radically different iPhone lineups in the company’s history, all thanks to one specific device: the iPhone Fold.
We know a lot about the iPhone Fold – except we don’t know what it’ll be called. We’ve referred to it as the iPhone Fold in all of our coverage on The Shortcut, but we’ve also heard it could be called the iPhone Ultra or iPhone Duo. Whatever the case, Apple is going to send shockwaves through the industry by finally entering the foldable phone market, nearly a decade after Samsung introduced the first Galaxy Fold.
But that’s not all. Apple has two other iPhones to talk about as well, in addition to new Apple Watches and AirPods. It’s going to be the biggest Apple event of the year, and after tracking all of the leaks and rumors over the past year, we can guess how the show’s gonna go.
Here’s your preview of the iPhone Fold, along with everything else we expect to see tomorrow at Apple Park.
The biggest tip-off we have about new iPhone designs every year always comes from cases. Check out some new accessories from our Substack sponsor, dbrand.
Protect your iPhone Fold with dbrand
The iPhone Fold is expected to cost $2,000 or more, and because it can physically bend in half, it’ll probably be more delicate than a regular iPhone. If you plan to pick one up and want to protect your investment.
Grip case
One of our favorite accessories from dbrand is the Grip case, and we were super excited when we found out that it was coming to the iPhone Fold.
The Grip case comes with military-grade drop protection, dbrand’s signature grippy texture on the outside, and a snug-fitting design that wraps everything from the hinge to the camera bump. It’s also just 2mm thick, so your foldable iPhone won’t feel unwieldy. Plus, there are built-in magnets for MagSafe compatibility, and you can cover the case in any of dbrand’s skin options for a personal touch.
It’s priced at $59.90, and you can pick it up starting today.
PRISM 2.0 screen protector
dbrand is also offering its PRISM 2.0 screen protector for the foldable iPhone. It uses premium tempered glass to protect the device’s cover display from accidental damage, such as cracks and scratches.
It offers a precise fit so that the earpiece isn’t covered and your case still fits, while its statically-charged peel layer repels dust when you install it. Speaking of which, PRISM 2.0 also includes a special installation kit that makes applying the screen protector on your iPhone Fold a breeze. The best part? You get two in the box in case you screw it up the first time.
You can pick it up starting today for $34.95.
iPhone 18 Pro gets some dbrand love, too
Planning on an upgrade to the iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max instead? dbrand has some fresh accessories for those devices, too.
🦾 Three new cases. dbrand is bringing its Grip, Ghost, and Tank cases to the iPhone 18 Pro series, giving you plenty of options for all-around protection and style. The Grip case is as grippy and durable as ever, adding the same great protection as it does for the foldable iPhone to your new 18 Pro. Meanwhile, the Ghost case adds drop protection with a slim, clear design that lets the color of your iPhone shine through. Tank is the one to get if you want the boldest, baddest-looking case on the market, with extreme drop protection and a design that only dbrand could conjure.
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
📲 PRISM 2.0. You can also pick up a PRISM 2.0 screen protector for your iPhone 18 Pro. It comes with all the same advantages as it does for the foldable iPhone, with premium tempered glass and advanced scratch resistance. There’s two in the pack with a special tray to make it easy to install, and it’s precisely cut to perfectly fit on your Pro or Pro Max.
iPhone 18 Pro
iPhone 18 Pro Max
🍎 The first foldable iPhone is almost here
🛂A passport to a new future. Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to be the flashiest announcement at tomorrow’s event, and for good reason. It’s going to shake up Apple’s smartphone line with a design that’s a phone at first, then unfolds to a tablet. Rumors suggest it’ll almost resemble a passport-like shape, similar to the popular Galaxy Z Fold 8 from Samsung. The 5.5-inch cover screen will be short and wide, while the folding 7.8-inch display will give you an experience comparable to using an iPad mini. Plus, the crease will barely be there thanks to a new “Liquidmetal” hinge, which will make it feel even more like an iPad when it’s open.
👑 Content consumption will be king. This type of form factor will be great for watching movies, scrolling on Instagram and TikTok, and reading e-books. While other foldable phones typically go for taller designs to make it feel more like a normal phone when it’s closed, Apple wants to go in the opposite direction and make it feel closer to a tablet when it’s open. As we learned from the Z Fold 8, this works out great when you want to watch content compared to candy bar phones.
💪 Minimal design, maximum performance. The iPhone Fold could be just 4.5mm thick when open, which would make it even thinner than last year’s 5.6mm iPhone Air. Despite that, Apple will still pack in a ton of power. Reports indicate that the device will ship with two rear cameras (one main, one ultra-wide), two selfie cameras (one on the cover screen, one on the folding screen), and stereo speakers. It’s expected to integrate MagSafe wireless charging and come with a ~4,800mAh battery, which is quite impressive for such a skinny device. What’s more, the rumored A20 Pro chip is said to be included, the same chip we expect to see in the iPhone 18 Pro.
🎨 Two distinct colors. Apple will only paint the iPhone Fold in two colors. The rumors we’ve seen suggest it’ll come in silver/white and a dark blue finish, while other reports say the dark blue could be replaced with Space Gray/Black. Either way, it doesn’t sound like you’ll be able to get it in gold, red, or the bold Cosmic Orange from last year.
💰 A very high price with limited availability. The biggest hurdle early adopters will have to getting the iPhone Fold is two-pronged: pricing and availability. The device is widely expected to cost upwards of $2,000 to start. That could get easier to digest if you trade in the right phone and finance it, but that’s still a hefty lump of cash for a first-generation product. Meanwhile, Apple is said to be producing a few hundred iPhone Folds per day, which could greatly impact your chances of getting one before they’re sold out. We expect production to eventually ramp up, but not at first.
Everything else we’re expecting at “Surprise and shine”
📱 iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max
Apple’s iPhone Pro lineup will be shaken up by two new models tomorrow: the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Both devices are expected to look like last year’s, with similar two-tone designs and large camera bumps. Speaking of which, the camera system will also stay the same, save for one major change: a variable aperture, which can help with lighting control for your photos. Bigger batteries, the A20 Pro chip, and new colors are expected to round things out.
📆 No iPhone 18 until next year. One thing of note: we don’t expect to see the base iPhone 18 at tomorrow’s event. Apple is widely rumored to be pushing its release back to spring of 2027 to make room for the iPhone Fold during the event. Spring is also when we expect the new iPhone Air 2 to come out, along with the mid-range iPhone 18e.
⌚️ Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4
New Apple Watches are also rumored to be showcased. While we aren’t getting any redesigns this year, rumor has it the new Series 12 and Ultra 4 watches will get better heart rate sensing, more intricate strength training tracking, and better performance with a new chip. The Series 12 could also come in a new ceramic model, calling back to the days of the Apple Watch Edition.
🎧 AirPods 5
Apple is also rumored to introduce new AirPods. The new AirPods 5 will be similar to the AirPods 4 but with better sound quality and noise cancellation, according to rumors. Two models are expected to be sold: one with ANC and one without. Those waiting for the AirPods Pro 4 will have to wait until next year, as the latest leaks say Apple is delaying them until 2027.
🤔 One more thing?
Since this is the first Apple event under John Ternus, many are speculating that a major surprise could be in the cards as part of the company’s famous “One more thing” segment. Of course, this year’s “One more thing” could just be the iPhone Fold, but with rumors of new smart home devices and smart glasses floating around, there’s always a chance that we get something completely unexpected.
Apple’s “Surprise and shine” event kicks off tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. The Shortcut will be covering everything from the keynote, so be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss anything.
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