Apple has let other phone makers mess around with foldables for a while now, but that's about to change. A new forecast from IDC suggests the company might not just catch up - it could leap right to the front of the pack.

The phone is expected to debut this September, and it's expected to carry a $2,500 price tag. IDC calls the design a "passport-style" foldable - one that opens like a book. Samsung pioneered the foldable category seven years ago, but many analysts believe Apple's entry will revive the segment.

The foldable market has needed a catalyst since Samsung introduced the category seven years ago. IDC's forecast suggests Apple's version could provide that spark, turning a niche product into a more mainstream option. Apple's loyal customer base gives it a built-in audience.

That price won't be easy for everyone to swallow. IDC senior research director Nabila Popal acknowledges it's a tough ask for many buyers. Still, she thinks the Apple brand and the device's design will carry it. "I expect the passport-style Apple foldable to be widely successful despite the high price tag," Popal said. "This is aimed at a very elite set of consumers, and they will be lining up to buy it."

Foldable devices - typically phones that unfold into tablet-sized screens - have remained a niche market for years. But IDC projects that Apple's arrival will inject fresh energy and prevent what could have been a double-digit decline in foldable sales this year. Instead, the market is expected to expand by 12.6% in 2025, then accelerate to 18% growth in 2026. In 2027, IDC predicts Apple will account for 40% of all foldable devices shipped.

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The broader smartphone market, however, is facing tougher times. IDC now says the overall market will shrink by 16.7% this year - a record drop and worse than earlier forecasts. Memory-chip and component costs are climbing, straining production and pushing device prices higher. "The components that enable AI are the same ones in short supply, and their cost is being passed directly to consumers," said IDC's Francisco Jeronimo. "The era of the cheap smartphone is over."

This isn't the first time Apple has entered a mature market late and reshaped it. The company waited years before releasing its first smartwatch, yet the Apple Watch now dominates that category. Similarly, Apple's move into foldables could normalize the form factor, push component prices down over time, and force rivals to refine their own designs.

What It Means for Investors

With a loyal customer base and deep supply chain expertise, Apple may succeed where others have struggled to move foldables beyond early adopters. The $2,500 price tag will keep the first generation exclusive, but history suggests that Apple's ecosystem and marketing power could eventually turn foldables into a mainstream option.