As Apple prepares 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 is optimistic about first-year shipments of the iPhone Ultra. Next month, at its “Surprise and Shine” event, Apple is expected to announce its first foldable book-style iPhone, which is rumored to cost approximately $2,500. Despite years of skepticism around the category, Counterpoint Research recently forecast that book-style devices will account for 76% of global foldable smartphone shipments in 2026, up from 52% in 2025, and Apple’s entry will help drive overall market growth of 21% year-over-year. Now, IDC (via Bloomberg) offers a similarly optimistic look at how many foldable iPhones it expects Apple to ship in its first year of availability. Bloomberg reports that, according to Nabila Popal, senior director of research at IDC, Apple is “expected to ship more than 10 million shipments in its first year,” despite its high price tag. For reference, Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 8, which features a passport-sized aspect ratio similar to what Apple is reportedly planning for its foldable iPhone, starts at $1,899 with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM. A recent report from Counterpoint Research noted that while Samsung led the foldable smartphone market in 2025 with a 40% share, its share is expected to fall to 32% in 2026, with Apple projected to capture 25% of shipments in 2026 alone. It’s important to note that while Counterpoint’s projection covers only calendar year 2026, IDC’s estimate of over 10 million shipments is all-encompassing. the first year of availability of the foldable iPhone. 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 foldable market will help “avoid a double-digit percentage decline in foldable products this year,” adding that the 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 the full Bloomberg report, follow this link. Worth checking out on Amazon FTC – We use automatic affiliate links to generate income. Further.
