With Apple's September product launch event less than two weeks away, the market for Apple's first foldable iPhone (temporarily named iPhone Ultra) has already been priced by channel dealers. The official starting price is expected to be around 14,999 yuan, and with first-batch supply extremely tight, an offline premium of 2,000 to 3,000 yuan has become the general expectation, with popular versions carrying a premium potential of 5,000 to 10,000 yuan.
Regarding the price of Apple's first foldable iPhone, multiple supply chain sources and analyst forecasts are highly consistent, pointing to it being the most expensive iPhone in history. The national version 256GB is expected to start at 14,999 yuan, directly skipping the 128GB entry tier. Each storage tier increase adds approximately 3,000 yuan in price difference: 512GB at approximately 16,999 yuan, 1TB at approximately 18,999-19,999 yuan. Large-capacity versions are expected to break the 20,000 yuan threshold, significantly higher than the current most expensive iPhone 17 Pro Max (2TB version at 17,999 yuan).
Regarding the core question of 'how much can resellers earn,' shop owners in Hangzhou's digital district, Huaqiangbei channel sources, and multiple analysts have given differentiated judgments. Constrained by initial production capacity and yield rates, first shipment supply will be tight, and offline dealer premiums of 2,000-3,000 yuan are the most likely scenario. For popular versions such as new colors and top storage configurations, when first-batch supply is extremely scarce, the premium range could reach 5,000 to 10,000 yuan. This figure is not universal market pricing but rather peak quotes when scalpers collectively speculate on the first batch of spot goods. Regular consumers purchasing through normal channels will find it difficult to steadily reach this level of profit.
The first-mover premium for the foldable iPhone has clear market logic behind it. Global assembly shipments in the third quarter are expected to be only 500,000 to 1 million units, with the assembly factory capacity ramp requiring 3 to 5 months, and the preparation progress 30% to 40% slower than a regular iPhone — first supply is scarce while demand is heavy, directly pushing up channel prices. Apple's vast ecosystem user base and the first foldable iPhone's high recognition and 'status symbol' attributes mean numerous consumers are willing to pay premiums for first-mover experiences. IDC predicts Apple's foldable phone first-year shipments could exceed 10 million units, and Apple's entry is expected to drive a 20% growth in global foldable shipments in 2026, demonstrating the market's intensity.
