Apple Anoints John Ternus with Foldable iPhone Debut

Apple is staging a seamless leadership transition: John Ternus, the hardware engineering veteran set to become CEO on September 1, will headline the company’s fall product event just two weeks later, unveiling a long-rumored foldable iPhone priced at around $2,000.

Apple is positioning Ternus, the engineer behind the original iPad, as the driving force behind this “blockbuster new product category.” The foldable will launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models at Apple’s annual September event, featuring a 7.8-inch inner display with a horizontal, iPad-inspired layout for enhanced multitasking.

Engineers prioritized durability, a minimized display crease, top-tier performance via the A20 Pro chip, and intuitive usability. Unlike competitors’ tall, narrow designs, Apple’s passport-style form factor aims to stand out, drawing directly from Ternus’s iPad legacy.

This mirrors Tim Cook’s 2011 ascension after Steve Jobs, where a ready pipeline of products bolstered his early tenure. Cook, shifting to executive chairman, leaves Ternus a strong runway, though his own final big reveal, the $3,499 Vision Pro, had mixed results. Analysts predict a record $150 billion December quarter for Apple, fueled by premium pricing, but early supply shortages could limit holiday availability.

The foldable gamble arrives late to a market dominated by Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold series. Success here will define Ternus’s first major test, potentially cementing Apple’s dominance in a maturing category.