Apple’s Foldable Ambitions: Inside the Leaks of the iPhone ‘Ultra’
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The Final Holdout in the Foldable Race
For years, Apple has watched from the sidelines as Samsung, Google, and Motorola turned the foldable smartphone from a novelty into a viable product category. While the industry has largely settled into two camps—the ‘Flip’ and the ‘Fold’—Apple’s prolonged silence has only fueled speculation. Now, that silence is breaking. A surge of CAD renders, dummy models, and supply chain reports suggests that Apple is finally preparing to enter the fray with a device likely to be branded under the ‘Ultra’ moniker.
The trajectory of Apple’s hardware strategy seems to be shifting toward a tiered ‘Ultra’ ecosystem. According to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, this device won’t just be a new form factor, but a new flagship tier. The ‘iPhone Ultra’ or ‘iPhone Ultra Fold’ would sit atop the hierarchy, potentially launching alongside other high-end ‘Ultra’ products like a MacBook Ultra and AirPods Ultra later in the year, signaling a concerted push into the ultra-premium market.
A ‘Passport’ Form Factor
Unlike the slim profiles of the current iPhone 17 lineup, the leaked design of the foldable suggests a departure from Apple’s traditional aesthetics. Based on CAD files and dummy models surfaced by leakers like Sonny Dickson and featured in an Unbox Therapy video, the device adopts what insiders are calling a ‘passport style.’
When folded, the device is notably squarer than a standard iPhone. This design choice is a compromise to facilitate a 4:3 aspect ratio when unfolded, effectively turning the phone into a handheld mirror of the iPad mini. This suggests Apple is prioritizing productivity and media consumption over the mere gimmick of a folding screen.
However, this form factor necessitates some technical trade-offs. The dummy models indicate a lack of a unibody chassis, and more importantly, the absence of Face ID. To maintain a slimmer profile and a more manageable hinge mechanism, Apple appears to be pivoting toward a Touch ID fingerprint sensor embedded in the side button—a move that mirrors the design of the iPad Air and Mini.
Production Friction at Foxconn
Despite the excitement, the road to a commercial launch is not without friction. While Weibo tipsters initially reported that trial production was proceeding on schedule at Foxconn in China, Nikkei Asia has reported setbacks during the engineering test phase. In the world of foldable displays, ‘setbacks’ often translate to crease issues or hinge durability failures—problems Apple historically refuses to ship to consumers.
Mark Gurman has countered this narrative, suggesting that these hurdles are typical of the pre-production cycle and unlikely to delay a launch aligned with the high-end iPhone 18 series. If this timeline holds, the foldable could debut in the autumn of 2026, while the more budget-conscious iPhone 18e models follow in the spring of 2027.
The Cost of Innovation
The pricing of the iPhone Ultra is expected to be aggressive, reflecting both the cost of the complex hinge mechanism and Apple’s desire to anchor the ‘Ultra’ brand in luxury. Estimates vary, but the consensus is trending upward. While some early rumors pointed to a $1,999 entry point, newer analyst projections suggest a starting price of $2,399, with some top-end configurations potentially hitting $2,500.
To put this in perspective, this would place the device significantly above the base Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which typically starts around $1,999 in the US. Apple isn’t competing on price; it is betting that the integration of its ecosystem and a more polished hardware experience will justify a premium that exceeds even the most expensive Pro Max models to date.
Hardware Nuances
Final leaks and videos shared by Majin Bu highlight a substantial camera bump, reminiscent of the ‘plateau’ design seen on the iPhone Air leaks. The positioning of volume buttons on the top edge of the device further confirms that this is not a mere iteration of an existing phone, but a ground-up redesign of the iPhone’s physical architecture.
