DON'T MISS: Xiaomi and Huawei Launch Foldable Smartphones Ahead of Apple's Latest Product LaunchFor investors, the significance of the event goes beyond another iPhone cycle.
Bull CaseThe iPhone Duo introduces a new form factor to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone lineup.
AI is the other major part of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) strategy under Ternus.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) uses its Private Cloud Compute system when additional cloud processing is required.
It also enters Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) first foldable cycle with advantages in experience, manufacturing scale and global distribution, according to Counterpoint.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) entered September with two things to prove: that it could still surprise consumers with new hardware and that its slow start in generative AI had not left it permanently behind. Its first major product event under CEO John Ternus offered an answer to both. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone, alongside the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup, while putting Siri and on-device artificial intelligence at the center of its pitch.
DON'T MISS: Xiaomi and Huawei Launch Foldable Smartphones Ahead of Apple's Latest Product Launch
For investors, the significance of the event goes beyond another iPhone cycle. It offers the first real look at how Ternus intends to differentiate Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) as he inherits a company with a massive installed base but considerable pressure to show that it can compete in the AI era.
Apple Raised Stakes with its $2000-Priced Foldable. But Can it Be the New Growth Engine?
Bull Case
The iPhone Duo introduces a new form factor to Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) smartphone lineup. The passport-shaped device opens into a 7.6-inch inner display and features a 5.4-inch outer screen, while its larger display allows users to run two apps side by side. It is powered by Apple's new A20 Pro chip. Pricing may also be more competitive than investors expected before the launch. The Duo starts at $1,999, compared with the more than $2,500 price analysts had anticipated ahead of the event. Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899 at comparable base storage levels, putting Apple's first foldable roughly $100 above its established rival.
AI is the other major part of Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) strategy under Ternus. At the September event, he positioned privacy as a key differentiator, describing the iPhone as an intelligent personal hub that handles AI services on-device whenever possible. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) uses its Private Cloud Compute system when additional cloud processing is required. Siri AI has also begun rolling out in beta. Apple says the new assistant can use personal context, on-screen awareness, and broader world knowledge, while Reuters reported that it will work with more than 300,000 apps at launch and can take actions across Apple and third-party applications.
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Bear Case
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) may have finally entered the foldable market, but it is arriving years after its biggest competitors. Samsung launched its first mass-market foldable in 2019 and has since released eight generations. It also enters Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) first foldable cycle with advantages in experience, manufacturing scale and global distribution, according to Counterpoint.
