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Considering the foldable iPhone Ultra is expected to come with a gargantuan price tag that could start as high as $2,500, I've often asked myself whether people are actually going to buy it. Especially when you remember all the sacrifices you'll need to make compared to something like the iPhone 18 Pro Max. But one expert doesn't think this will stop the iPhone Ultra from being "wildly successful".Previously we've heard that Apple is aiming to ship 10 million iPhone Ultra units in its first year. It's a lofty goal, but IDC analyst Nabila Popal believes (via Bloomberg) that Apple can hit that target and "rescue that segment of the smartphone market from decline" in the process.Popal says that "a very elite set of consumers are being targeted" and that those people "will be lining up to buy the device." In fact, IDC believes that the iPhone Ultra will be so successful it will account for 40% of all foldable shipments in 2027.A very elite set of consumers are being targetedNabila Popal, IDC analystThose consumers will no doubt include the super rich who can afford to drop $2.5k on a brand new smartphone, but it will also likely include the Apple superfans who are desperate to use a foldable iPhone.That sounds like a huge jump for a first-time foldable, but you have to remember this is Apple we're talking about. It commands the kind of brand loyalty that you just don't see from other phone makers, and the fact it's attempting to ship 10 million iPhone Ultra units for $2,500 shows the company knows that.Especially considering Samsung started 2026 with the goal of producing 6.3 million foldable phones — later adding another million Galaxy Z Fold 8 units after positive reception at launch. Bear in mind that Samsung has been in the foldable phone business for almost a decade, is arguably the biggest producer outside of China and just released three new foldable models.The fact that Apple is still being predicted to ship 10 million units, and outsell Samsung, is testament to how it's managed to capture the smartphone market. Especially if predictions are correct and the Ultra does manage to reverse a decline in foldable sales.Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.10 million units isn't actually a lot
