The MacRumors Show
189: The Latest iPhone Fold/Ultra Rumors
Why It Matters
Understanding the potential trade‑offs of the iPhone Ultra is crucial for consumers and investors as Apple ventures into the foldable market, a space dominated by competitors. The episode sheds light on pricing, design, and feature decisions that could shape Apple's product strategy and influence adoption rates in a rapidly evolving smartphone landscape.
Key Takeaways
- •Dummy foldable iPhone models reveal short, wide, passport-sized design.
- •Expected price $2,000‑$2,400, higher than iPhone 18 Pro.
- •Device lacks telephoto camera, Face ID; uses Touch ID.
- •Production cut from 10 million to 3 million units.
- •Critics warn iPhone Ultra repeats iPhone Air’s feature‑price issues.
Pulse Analysis
The recent leak of dummy models gives the first concrete look at Apple’s long‑rumored foldable iPhone. The device abandons the traditional tall‑slim silhouette for a short, wide, passport‑size chassis that unfolds to a 4:3 display, echoing the iPad’s aspect ratio. Analysts note the shape resembles an oversized iPod Classic and mirrors Google’s early Pixel Fold dimensions. This unconventional form factor aims to differentiate the phone within Apple’s lineup, promising a larger screen without increasing overall height. Early impressions suggest one‑handed use could improve, though the wider footprint may feel unfamiliar to longtime iPhone users.
Pricing rumors place the foldable at $2,000 to $2,400 for the base model, outpacing the iPhone 18 Pro despite fewer hardware upgrades. Apple appears to sacrifice a telephoto lens, offering only wide and ultra‑wide cameras, and replaces Face ID with a side‑mounted Touch ID sensor due to chassis constraints. The omission also means the familiar Dynamic Island will be absent, replaced by a simple punch‑hole camera. At an estimated 4.5 mm thickness, the device would be Apple’s thinnest phone, yet the cramped sensor area raises concerns about fingerprint accuracy and accidental unlocks. These compromises echo the iPhone Air’s market struggle.
The device is already being dubbed the iPhone Ultra, a branding move that traditionally signals premium features rather than compromises. Yet Apple reportedly slashed production from an initial 10 million units to just 3 million, hinting at cautious demand forecasts. The recent 30 % discount on the iPhone Air in the UK—roughly $400 off in the United States—underscores consumer hesitation toward high‑priced, feature‑light models. While some enthusiasts remain excited about finally seeing a foldable iPhone, many question whether the trade‑offs in camera capability, biometric security, and software integration will justify the premium. Only real‑world usage after the September launch will reveal its true market viability.
Episode Description
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we discuss all of the rumors surrounding Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone, now said to be called the “iPhone Ultra," which is shaping up to be a comprehensive redesign unlike anything the company has shipped before.
The iPhone Ultra is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this fall, though reports suggest it will ship after the Pro models, potentially as late as December. Pricing is expected to start at over $2,000, making it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold.
The device will have a book-style, passport-shaped design with a 4:3 aspect ratio, wider than it is tall and unlike any foldable currently on the market. When closed, it will have a 5.5-inch outer display; when open, a 7.8-inch inner OLED panel takes over, making it just slightly smaller than the 8.3-inch iPad mini. According to design leaks from Instant Digital, the device will measure just 4.5mm thick when unfolded, which would make it Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. The outer frame is said to be made of titanium for durability at that thinness, while the inner frame uses aluminum. The back features a glass finish with a shorter, iPhone Air-style camera plateau housing two horizontally arranged rear cameras.
The same leak revealed that volume buttons are relocated to the top edge of the device, aligned to the right. The inner display features a single punch-hole cutout resulting in a smaller Dynamic Island, while a Touch ID power button and Camera Control remain on the right edge. Reports indicate the iPhone Ultra will support iPad-style multitasking and layouts for running apps side by side when unfolded, befitting its iPad mini-sized inner display. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has described it as the "most significant overhaul in the iPhone's history."
Achieving that ultra-thin form factor comes with tradeoffs, and the iPhone Ultra will be missing several features that iPhone users have come to expect, in some ways echoing the compromises Apple made with the iPhone Air. The iPhone Air went without stereo speakers, a SIM card slot, and multiple rear cameras to achieve its 5.6mm frame; the iPhone Ultra faces similar constraints at an even more demanding 4.5mm. The ultra-thin chassis leaves no room for a triple-lens camera setup, so the telephoto lens found on iPhone Pro models is absent, leaving just a dual 48-megapixel rear system. More significantly, there is no space for the TrueDepth sensor array required for Face ID, meaning the iPhone Ultra will rely on a side-button Touch ID module instead.
Under the hood, the iPhone Ultra is expected to feature Apple's A20 chip paired with 12GB of RAM. Storage options are said to include 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB. Battery capacity is reportedly in the 5,400mAh to 5,800mAh range, which would put it among the largest ever in an iPhone despite its slim dimensions.
The scale of Apple's production ambitions for the iPhone Ultra has already been tempered by manufacturing realities. Kuo initially indicated Apple placed orders for 15 to 20 million total foldable iPhones, though he noted demand would likely be limited due to the device's cost. By December, Kuo warned that early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges could mean smooth shipments may not occur until 2027, with potential shortages lasting through at least the end of 2026.
The high asking price is expected to be a further constraint on volume: IDC projects the device will capture over 22% unit share of the foldables market in its first year, but that market remains a niche segment overall. The iPhone Air's underwhelming sales performance, with Kuo reporting suppliers cut production capacity by more than 80% after demand fell short of expectations, may serve as a cautionary tale for premium iPhone form-factor experiments.
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...