Some people outside of Apple have already used the folding iPhone - AppleInsider
The iPhone Ultra stands to benefit foldables made by rivals. As for Apple, the existence of the iPhone Ultra will draw even more attention to the rest of the iPhone range. Price alone will make the iPhone Ultra a no go.
Sun Aug 23 2026, 10:24 AM EDT · 2 minute read
A render of what the iPhone Ultra could look like - Image Credit: AppleInsider
The iPhone Ultra may actually live up to the hype, as people who have tried pre-release versions of the model indicate it will be worthy of its hyper-premium price.
Apple is widely expected to be launching its first foldable smartphone in September, under what is believed to be called the iPhone Ultra. However, while it will ship with a more premium price than a typical Pro-grade iPhone, it seems that it may actually be worth it.
In Sunday's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman says he has spoken to multiple people who have tried out the inbound foldable. Based on what they say, it seems like it will offer a lot to potential buyers.
Despite being a thick device when folded, the pre-launch users say it still manages to fit in a pocket. They liked the way the hinge mechanism worked, expressing that it also felt durable.
The model, as you'd expect, also benefits from its massive folding display, which lets Apple introduce iPad-like app layouts. Even this was seen as a positive to the initial users.
When it comes to photography, the device apparently doesn't have a telephoto camera, but it's still great for taking shots. The foldable device apparently excels as a camera viewfinder.
There's also a reversion when it comes to biometric security, too. While iPhones are using Face ID, the new model will go back to Touch ID.
The lack of a telephoto camera could be an issue when it comes to price. With expectations of it costing consumers at least $2,000, omissions like that could put off some potential early adopters who are used to getting the best specifications in such devices.
That said, the iPhone Ultra stands to become a new halo product for Apple, and possibly the smartphone industry in general.
Though Apple is late to the foldables market compared to rivals such as Samsung, its own launch will reverberate across the industry. This is a thing we have seen time and again, with Apple helping buoy the rest of the market in new areas and design ideas.
Your typical consumer may have heard of foldables but won't necessarily have investigated the product category. With Apple bringing out a model, complete with its marketing engine, it will help raise awareness of foldables in general.
The iPhone Ultra stands to benefit foldables made by rivals.
As for Apple, the existence of the iPhone Ultra will draw even more attention to the rest of the iPhone range. Apple coming out with something outlandish like a folding smartphone will have a natural halo effect on the rest of the range.
Consumers may not necessarily buy the iPhone Ultra, but they may be drawn to other products launching at the same time in their price bracket.
Based in South Wales, Malcolm Owen has written about tech since 2012, previously for Electronista and MacNN. His interests include photography, magic tricks, game development, and annoying his cats.
https://forums.appleinsider.com/discussion/comment/3507737#Comment_3507737
why? Nocvbidy else has top line cameras in their folds. And nobody else has the equivalent of FaceID on any phone. So how will Apple not having three high end cameras on this cause them a problem compared to others, or FaceID?
I renewed most of my Apple product in the past year or two. New Mac mini, Apple Watch, MacBook Air, iPhone and iPad mini. Now I'm glad I did because the price of admission appears about to climb significantly. Price alone will make the iPhone Ultra a no go. Similarly, considering the price tag that is now attached to the Apple TV, it just makes no sense to even consider buying one. Besides I have an older M1 Mac Mini hooked up to my big screen with the sound being fed to a decent DAC and out to a quality stereo system. Works great. I may be a long-time Apple customer but I'm poised to sit out most of what Apple has coming in the next few years. The pricing is going to make it hard for me to dive back in any time soon.
So bringing out a wildly expensive iPhone Ultra at this time feels like a misstep. The item that customers would most love to have is affordability. Looks like we're not going to get it any time soon. Apple will just have to settle for revenue from services from many customers like me because the hardware is going to be hard to justify purchasing where the pricing is headed.
"worthy of its hyper-premium price"
I get it, this is AppleInsider. Surely you're more than a blind fan site?
How did that work out for the Apple Vision Pro?
But does it have MagSafe? I could probably deal without the telephoto camera, though that's obviously less than ideal at times, but I just don't think I'm prepared to give up the daily convenience of MagSafe, no matter how cool a device it is.