Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple has recently discussed starting its foldable iPhone at about $2,199, up from an early $1,999 target, with some storage configurations approaching $3,000, according to a MacRumors report of his latest details.
For the wider picture, our iPhone 18 UAE price and release guide tracks what Apple is expected to announce on 9 September, and the live blog runs from 9:00 PM UAE time.
MacRumors’ Hartley Charlton summarised Gurman’s account on 8 September 2026. Apple has not published a price list. Treat the figures as reported internal talk, not confirmed retail pricing.
What Gurman says on foldable iPhone pricing
Early in development, Apple reportedly aimed for a $1,999 start to stay under the “potentially controversial $2,000 barrier,” echoing how the first iPhone X opened at $999.
Amid a global memory shortage, Gurman says the company has recently discussed a $2,199 starting price. Higher storage tiers could approach $3,000. MacRumors relays that Apple expects some sticker shock, but that buyers already paying around $2,000 for upgraded-storage iPhones helped convince the company an upscale foldable was worth shipping.
None of those dollar figures are official Apple MSRP. UAE dirham pricing is not listed yet; wait for Apple’s own store and carrier pages if the device is announced.
Cook, Ternus, and how the project landed
Gurman also sketches the foldable’s path inside Apple. Around 2020, Tim Cook returned from Asia trips unusually energised after seeing Samsung and Huawei foldables in daily use, and pushed the company to accelerate. Hardware teams had studied foldable displays for years before the first Galaxy Fold.
The project began under Dan Riccio. John Ternus, now Apple’s chief executive after years as hardware lead, is described as a major champion who helped push the device over the finish line with Cook. Engineering priorities named in the report include a less visible crease, a more reliable hinge, flexible cover glass with Corning, and under-display camera work. The rumoured layout remains a wide book-style phone with a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display.
tbreak’s earlier briefings on expected UAE pricing and availability and the 9 September event slate cover the broader rumour picture. This update is specifically the Gurman pricing discussion MacRumors published on 8 September.
What comes next
Apple’s “Surprise and shine” event is scheduled for Wednesday 9 September 2026 at 10am PT, streamed on apple.com and the Apple TV app. That is when any real starting price, storage ladder, and UAE availability notes would have to come from Apple itself.
Official pricing and UAE availability land only if Apple announces them on stage or on its store pages after the 9 September event.
What starting price does Gurman say Apple has discussed for the foldable iPhone?
MacRumors, summarising Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman on 8 September 2026, says Apple early on targeted about $1,999, then recently discussed about $2,199 amid a global memory shortage. Some storage configurations could approach $3,000. Apple has not confirmed these figures.
Is $2,199 or near $3,000 official Apple pricing?
No. Those numbers are reported internal discussions attributed to Gurman via MacRumors. They are not an Apple price list, and there is no official AED conversion from Apple yet.
What roles do Tim Cook and John Ternus play in this report?
Gurman, as relayed by MacRumors, says Cook pushed foldable development after Asia trips around 2020, and that Ternus helped push the device over the finish line as hardware chief and now CEO. That remains rumour reporting, not an Apple press statement about pricing.
When could Apple announce the foldable iPhone and real prices?
Apple’s Surprise and shine event is set for 9 September 2026 at 10am PT on apple.com and the Apple TV app. Any confirmed pricing or UAE availability would need to come from Apple at or after that event.
