Updated

Updated · ZDNet · Aug 31

ZDNET Closes Apple Guessing Contest, to Draw Apple Watch Winners After Sept. 9 Event

Updated

Updated · ZDNet · Aug 31

ZDNET Closes Apple Guessing Contest, to Draw Apple Watch Winners After Sept. 9 Event

Q: With Samsung reportedly mass-producing panels, will Apple shock the world with a $2,500 foldable iPhone next week, or will hinge issues delay it?

Apple is more likely to unveil the foldable iPhone next week than to delay it, but a short shipping lag or tight initial supply still looks plausible. The strongest evidence is in the supply chain. Multiple reports say Samsung Display has already been approved by Apple and is mass-producing foldable OLED panels, with about 3 million units in the initial panel run and yields reportedly above Apple’s threshold. Apple has also reportedly lifted broader production targets for the device to around 10 million units, which suggests confidence that the project is real and near launch. The main risk is not the display. It is the hinge. Several industry reports describe the hinge as the last major bottleneck, with issues including durability, assembly tolerances and even noise after repeated testing. But more recent supply-chain reporting says most of those problems have been resolved and the device has moved into later production stages. That shifts the odds away from an outright announcement delay. Pricing rumors consistently place the phone in the ultra-premium tier, generally around $2,000 to $2,500. At that level, Apple would be positioning it as a niche flagship above the Pro line, likely under an “Ultra” or similar branding. So the most likely outcome for Sept. 9 is an announcement of a book-style foldable iPhone with limited availability, rather than a complete postponement. If there is a delay, current reporting points to weeks, not months.

1 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Aug 31

ZDNET said its Big Guessing Game contest has ended, with winners to be drawn and contacted by email after Apple's Sept. 9, 2026 event.
11:59 p.m. ET on Sept. 1 was the deadline for final guesses, which will be scored against whatever Apple unveils at the event.
55% of readers in Round 2 said Apple will not launch a foldable iPhone in 2026, while 28% predicted a touchscreen MacBook.
The third-round promotion offered entries for each correct answer toward a new Apple Watch drawing and was open to U.S. residents 18 and older.