With the introduction of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Duo, Apple’s new CEO John Ternus “got his stint at the top of the company publicly going with a bang,” says Counterpoint Research.
The company’s first foldable will hit the shelves in October, starting at under $2,000 in the US, a highly competitive price and a sign that Apple is serious about taking market share from the competition, opines the research group.
“Pre-launch expectations centered on Apple pushing new pricing boundaries with its latest form factor, but this in-line pricing will make the Duo an instant hot item from October onwards. Apple has delivered a positive surprise,” per Counterpoint’s op-ed.
Similarly, $100 price increases for the new Pro and Pro Max models will be a relief for users and partner carriers alike, at least in the US., the research group adds. Regional pricing is likely to be more diverse than in the past.
Market impact and supply dynamics
The iPhone Duo enters the market at a highly competitive $1,999, positioning it aggressively against established foldable competitors. The top model with 2TB storage is priced at $3,199. In the US, promotions from the Big 3 carriers for recent foldable flagships were substantial (T-Mobile offered up to $1,900 off on the Galaxy Z8 series). Counterpoint says similar carrier incentives are expected to drive significant interest for Apple’s entry.
Sales volumes for the iPhone Duo will almost certainly be constrained by limited supply rather than limited demand, meaning early adopters should expect significant wait times, even after considering regional price adjustments across markets, adds the research group.
In a sign of things to come, the iPhone Duo will initially be available in 28 markets, whereas the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will launch in over 70 markets right away.
“The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max provide enough incentives for consumers upgrading from a base iPhone and those who do not want to wait until the expected launch of the iPhone 18 base model early in 2027,” says Counterpoint. “It will be keenly watched whether these new Pro models can persuade existing iPhone base, e series or Air users to upgrade, or whether increased pricing for legacy models is acceptable for those looking to upgrade right now.”
iPhone Duo: Finally, a foldable!
After waiting on the sidelines, observing the competition, Apple is joining the list of manufacturers with a foldable smartphone in the portfolio. Counterpoint says that launching a book-type, large-screen foldable first is a natural decision, given Apple’s extensive history with iPad – helping optimize iOS for the larger display.
- Form factor and display: The device features a 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display for multitasking, alongside a 5.4-inch outer display. The Duo is yet another book-type foldable embracing shorter, wider body dimensions, similar to those preferred by OPPO, Huawei, Samsung and Xiaomi with recent launches, and Google’s first-generation Pixel Fold.
- Camera innovation: The Duo incorporates a 48MP Fusion Main camera and introduces software experiences unique to the foldable design, including Smart Take, Duo Preview and Kid Cue. On the internal display, Apple is utilizing an under-display camera with a software experience that appears to highlight its position when in use but hides it otherwise.
- Software optimization: Apple is changing the interface of iOS27 to make better use of the larger internal screen. Moving the app bar to the side of the display keeps it within reach of fingers holding the device. Indicators in the notification bar have also been adjusted for the new form factor. In terms of multitasking, Apple focuses on split-screen views and richer access to content on the screen, enabled by the larger display. Foregoing the introduction of a completely new interaction concept allows users to feel familiar with the new form factor. A continuity animation when opening and closing the device while using an app is meant to bridge the experience gap Android foldables have faced in the past, where the transition was sometimes choppy, and apps could not continue to operate consistently when switching displays.
iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max: Flagship advancements
With its latest Pro models, Apple continues to focus on what has proven to be a successful combination for years now – camera enhancements, processing power to drive gaming, content creation and AI features, along with long-lasting battery life. Counterpoint says the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max fall in line with their predecessors and give consumers enough reasons to upgrade.
- Variable aperture camera: The iPhone 18 Pro debuts a 48MP Fusion Main camera with a variable aperture utilizing six laser-cut blades, granting users automatic and manual depth-of-field control. Users can manually vary the aperture from a wider f/1.48 to a narrower f/4, depending on the lighting conditions.
- Processing power: Apple claims its new 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip delivers up to 40% gains in sustained device performance. The A20 Pro comes with a 6-core CPU with integrated neural accelerators, a new 7-core GPU and a dual 16-Core Neural Engine, offering a total of 32 cores for double AI processing power compared to the A19 Pro. This also means more on-device AI processing and signals what Apple is preparing for in terms of future on-device Apple Intelligence capabilities.
- Vapor chamber for improved thermal management: The new A20 Pro SoC with new packaging, which has the SoC and DRAM side by side, and a redesigned vapour chamber is designed to deliver higher sustained performance for demanding workloads such as AI, gaming and content creation. This is a good example of how Apple is scaling its engineering expertise and learnings across products, including its M-series chips. It also signals the direction Apple wants to take the iPhone Pro series to, positioning it as an AI and gaming powerhouse. Apple says these improvements, together with better efficiency, should also deliver better battery endurance while maintaining performance over longer periods of use.
- New C2 modem with mmWave support: Apple has made significant progress with its modem capabilities, adding 5G mmWave support to its new C2 modem. Apple claims the C2 modem consumes 15% less energy than the C1X used in the iPhone Air.
- Interface updates: The Dynamic Island is now smaller and can show up to three Live Activities simultaneously.
- Pricing: The iPhone 18 Pro model starts at $1,199 in the US for the 256GB variant, whereas the iPhone 18 Pro Max starts at $1,299 and goes up to $2,499 for 2TB storage.
“The iPhone 18 Pro series will be a compelling upgrade for millions of users, particularly those holding three-to-four-year-old Pro models,” says Counterpoint. “Meanwhile, the iPhone Duo will further accelerate upgrades among early adopters eager to be the first to experience Apple’s new hardware category. Apple is still in the first generation of its foldables, and it has hit all the right notes with respect to differentiation on both hardware and software engineering. Further, the developer ecosystem and iOS27 have completely aligned to develop unique foldable experiences, which will be a big differentiation factor against the Android camp.”
The research group adds that Apple is betting that the change to its launch calendar will pay dividends. Introducing new Pro models now, and adding the foldable to the mix, while waiting to refresh the base variant, is a good way for Apple to further move its user base mix towards the premium flagships.
At the same time, offsetting the remaining legacy models in the portfolio, including the highly successful iPhone 17, against the new flagships makes them an attractive option for many buyers, even after those devices received their own price hikes, adds Counterpoint.
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