Apple's new iPhone 18 series and first foldable, the iPhone Duo, could reshape smartphone demand worldwide by pushing some buyers toward Android rivals, channel players said. Higher launch prices may expand the premium market, but they could also slow some iPhone sales and intensify competition across midrange and flagship segments.
Following the launch of Apple's first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Duo, combined sales momentum from Samsung Electronics, Huawei Technologies, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and Motorola is expected to drive global foldable smartphone shipments above 27 million units in 2026.
Strong demand for AI and AI data centers, along with a wave of enterprise information and communications technology (ICT) projects moving into delivery, helped Taiwan's top three telecom operators extend growth in August 2026. Chunghwa Telecom posted record August revenue, operating profit, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), and earnings per share (EPS); Taiwan Mobile remained the telecom trio's cumulative EPS leader; and FarEasTone set monthly highs in revenue, EBITDA, and net profit.
Apple’s move into foldable smartphones is creating fresh business for Japanese component makers with expertise in thin, lightweight and compact designs. According to Nikkei Asia, suppliers that once helped shape Japan’s feature phone era are seeing renewed interest in foldable display materials, hinges and battery-related parts.
Apple has finally unveiled the long-anticipated foldable iPhone Duo, with former CEO Tim Cook making a brief appearance at the start of the launch video. The moment suggested the device was Cook's farewell act, rather than John Ternus' first turn as chief executive, even as Apple used the 2026 fall event to frame its next stage of AI strategy.
Apple's latest iPhone launch could reshape premium phone demand, but the bigger question is whether the company can answer growing AI competition. While the new foldable iPhone drew the most attention, investors and channel players are watching pricing, repair costs, and Apple's dependence on Google-backed AI more closely.
Two things happened at Apple's September 9 launch that belong in the same story: the company raised the price of every iPhone it sells by exactly US$100, and it introduced a chip whose headline improvement is a wider memory interface, without saying how much memory sits behind it.
Apple's foldable iPhone Duo could reshape the global smartphone market, pushing Android brands to move faster on foldable handsets and camera innovation. Suppliers said the launch may revive competition in a niche still dominated by Android, while underscoring the technical limits, pricing pressure, and profit opportunities facing module makers worldwide.
China's next-generation communications push is beginning to reveal a broader ambition than simply putting faster wireless connections into future smartphones.
These are the seven supply chain takeaways from Apple's announcements on September 9, covering new iPhone models, new AirPods, chips, and upgrades to its ecosystem.
Apple CEO John Ternus used his first major event as chief executive to signal where the company is headed after officially succeeding Tim Cook in September 2026. Speaking at the annual showcase, he framed the iPhone as the personal computing hub for the AI era and suggested Apple is not rushing to replace it.
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