Apple has always been unapologetic in its premium positioning. You know that when you buy Apple, you’re going to be paying a higher price than for almost any competing product, and are willing to do so for the perceived benefits of this – whether that’s the quality, the style, or the ecosystem.
The company has made a few nods toward affordability over the years, and we’re expecting the next one to be a new entry-level MacBook. But we’re also moving into an era where three new product launches are going to push the boundaries ever higher …
It could be argued that the upcoming iPhone 17 Air is an example, as this looks set to be a relatively high price for a rather basic iPhone. However, people have always been willing to pay a premium for sleeker and slimmer, so I’ll give the company a pass on this.
Let’s instead turn our attention to three new products we’re expecting to be launched over the next three years.
iPhone Fold
The first one out of the starting gates is going to be the iPhone Fold, widely expected to launch next year.
We don’t yet know what this will cost, but we’ve got a reasonably good idea based on competitor products. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 ranges from $1,800 to $2,100. Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold is either $1,800 or $1,900 depending on storage tier.
The iPhone Fold certainly isn’t going to be any cheaper than either of these, and will most likely be more expensive, so let’s call it $2,000+ in round money.
It doesn’t seem too long ago eyebrows were raised at the thought of an iPhone costing $1,000! Yet this is now routine, and we are probably a year away from a model costing twice as much.
iPad Fold
This is expected to be followed by an iPad Fold.
Much less is known about this, but reports so far have suggested that it will unfold to a maximum screen size of 18.8 inches (18.76 inches, to be precise). This followed earlier and vaguer reports about some kind of 20-inch hybrid device which was variously reported to be an iPad or a MacBook. Reports now seem to have settled on it clearly being an iPad.
While it was initially expected to launch in late 2026, more recent reports have suggested a timeframe of 2028.
Absolutely nothing is known as yet about intended pricing, but if an iPhone Fold costs $2k, then we can be pretty certain that an iPad Fold is going to be eye-wateringly expensive. It’s going to dwarf the cost of any iPad ever launched, and is likely to rival the cost of a pretty decently-specced MacBook Pro.
Vision Air
Between the two, in 2027, we’re expecting to see the launch of the Vision Air.
Technically, of course, this will be a price reduction over the Vision Pro. If Kuo is right, we can expect it to be around half the cost, which will make it somewhere in the order of $1,500.
However, I would argue that the Vision Pro is so niche it’s almost irrelevant. We have no idea how many Apple has sold, but even Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that it was effectively a precursor to future products.
Right now, it’s an early-adopter product. People who want to have tomorrow’s technology today—that’s who it’s for.
The Vision Air, in contrast, will be something Apple likely expects to sell in more significant volumes. It’s still not going to be something the average person will wander into an Apple Store and buy, but anyone who currently owns a MacBook Pro is probably keen to at least try it. This will be Apple selling many of us an entirely new product category.
Three years, three new expensive products
2026, 2027, 2028. Three years, three new expensive products.
Don’t misunderstand me: this isn’t a criticism. I’ve long argued that the so-called “Apple tax” is lower than it seems. I think all three will be very worthwhile products, and each will have buyers who consider them good value for money.
Indeed, I expect to be one of them. While the weight and price of the Vision Pro makes it a non-starter for me, I’m pretty sure I’ll be unable to resist a Vision Air if it is indeed significantly more comfortable and comes in at around half the price. (I fully expect to want an iPhone Fold but be unwilling to pay that much for it. An iPad Fold simply isn’t for me.)
I merely draw attention to this pattern as a sign that the company’s ability to find ways to sell us ever more expensive products is far from over. There have long been pundits who claim that Apple will eventually implode from seeking to extract ever larger sums of cash from its customer base, but I very much suspect all three products will prove them wrong.
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