Apple's finally unveiling its foldable iPhone this week, and it might not even be called that

Apple is finally doing the thing it swore for years it wasn't rushing into, a foldable iPhone. The "Surprise and shine" event kicks off today at Apple Park, and depending on which corner of the internet you trust, we're either about to witness Apple's biggest phone reveal since the original iPhone, or a very expensive tablet that folds in half.

One thing worth knowing before you tune in: John Ternus took over as Apple CEO on 1 September, ending Tim Cook's 15-year run (Cook is staying on as executive chair). This is Ternus's first big keynote, and he reportedly told staff in an internal memo that the launch is "going to be phenomenal." Big talk for someone just over a week into the job.

As for the folding phone itself, Apple still hasn't confirmed what it's actually called. The name reportedly used internally at Apple is iPhone Ultra, which fits the brand's habit of slapping "Ultra" on whatever costs the most. Nothing is locked in publicly though, and shakier leaks have floated "iPhone Fold" or even "Duo" (please, no).

What's expected: a book-style design that opens into a roughly 7.8-inch screen, about the size of an iPad mini, with a liquid metal hinge and layered glass rumoured to make the crease nearly invisible. No Face ID apparently, instead Touch ID built into the power button. There's also said to be no Action Button, a strange corner to cut on a phone this expensive.

And it is expected to be expensive. Reports the night before the keynote put the starting price at $2,199 USD, with higher storage configs tipped to push past $3,000. That's before you even factor in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, also launching today, both rumoured for price rises of their own.

Samsung and Google have been doing foldables for years while Apple watched from the sidelines. Now we get to see if "worth the wait" or "world's most expensive experiment" turns out to be the more accurate description. Tune into Apple's livestream this afternoon and find out for yourself, then come back and tell us if your wallet survived.