iPhone 18 will usher in a super cycle: the first foldable screen is here, and 1 billion Apple users need to upgrade

This year Apple upgraded the standard version of the iPhone 17 without increasing the price. Combined with national subsidies, sales should put many Android manufacturers under great pressure. Recently, there was also good news that Apple increased its shipments.

Don’t worry if you haven’t bought it yet, because next year’s iPhone 18 will be better, and next year will be a super cycle for Apple’s iPhone. Many Apple users will have to upgrade if they want to experience the full AI functions.

Next year’s iPhone 18 will first have a strong lineup, and Apple will also restart the strategy of launching a large number of phones. The regular products include iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Air 2.

The killer feature is Apple’s first foldable screen – iPhone Fold. The rumored technical parameters are very sci-fi, but the authenticity is unknown, so I won’t go into details. The starting price of $1,999 is more realistic, and the actual price may even be higher.

The iPhone Fold not only has a sci-fi appearance, but more importantly, Apple will bring a complete Apple Intelligence experience. AI has been very popular in the past two years, but Apple has not made many moves in this field, perhaps waiting for products like the iPhone Fold.

In addition to products, the market environment will also be favorable to Apple next year. After the release of iPhone 17 this year, only about 30% of iPhones, or approximately 415 million iPhones, can experience the full AI functions. After the iPhone Fold is launched, about 1 billion iPhones will need to be upgraded to experience the full AI functions.

In the face of technologies such as AI and foldable screens, 1 billion Apple employees will bring significant upgrading momentum. Morgan Stanley expects Apple’s iPhone shipments in fiscal 2027 to reach 253 million units, significantly higher than the previous forecast of 240.5 million units.