Apple iPhone Ultra, also referred to as the iPhone Fold, is the most anticipated smartphone launch of 2026. That's because it will be Apple's first attempt at a foldable phone, and obviously, there is a lot of hype around it. But while Apple has not spilt any details about the phone yet, there are plenty of leaked details from credible sources that we can rely on. So let us break down everything we know so far about the iPhone Ultra, its price, specifications and release date in this guide.
Is It the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra?
Let's start with the phone's name itself. While up until very recently, many industry insiders were calling the upcoming Apple foldable the iPhone Fold. A recent report by industry veteran Mark Gurman suggests that the device could be called the iPhone Ultra.
This will tie up with other high-end products that Apple is planning to release by the end of 2026, all carrying the "Ultra" title. These include a touchscreen OLED MacBook Pro and AirPods Pro with a built-in camera. That said, it is still not confirmed what the final naming scheme will be.
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Apple iPhone Ultra Design
The iPhone Ultra's design is turning out to be "the most significant overhaul in the iPhone's history", according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
As per industry insiders, Apple tested several designs, from the book-style foldable that opens up to an iPad Mini-sized screen to the clamshell-style form of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7. Finally, from the looks of it, it looks like the brand is settling on the more traditional horizontal fold.
As for the build quality, the iPhone Ultra is rumoured to sport a titanium + aluminium chassis. Titanium will provide structural rigidity to weak areas of the phone's design that will be prone to bending.
While aluminium could help to keep the weight to a minimum. This is why Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggested that it will be like two iPhone Air units stuck together.
The iPhone Ultra is also rumoured to be 4.5–4.8mm thin when unfolded, according to analyst Ming Chi Kuo, and somewhere between 9 and 9.5 mm when closed.
This will make it Apple's thinnest iPhone yet. This will also make it a hair thicker than the latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, which measures 8.9mm closed.
Apple leaker Sonny Dickson shared potential 3D iPhone Fold renders. As you can see, the phone looks shorter and wider than the current Apple iPhones.
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iPhone Ultra Display and Crease Situation
Display and crease are the most crucial aspects of any folding phone, and they were a key reason Apple kept delaying its plan for an iPhone Ultra. The Cupertino company has been aiming for a creaseless display, "regardless of cost". But it has been almost impossible to achieve till now.
Multiple reports suggest that Apple will be using Samsung's new crease-free panel showcased at CES 2026. The panel combines a flexible OLED panel with a laser-drilled metal plate for support, which helps disperse stress during the folding and unfolding of the screen.
Apple could also use a glass mid-frame to reduce visible crease while "applying a colour filter-on-encapsulation layer together with a circular polariser module to improve colour purity and light transmission", according to MacRumors.
This provides a crease depth under 0.15mm, which is still much more than the 0.05mm crease depth of the Oppo Find N6.
As for the display size, the iPhone Ultra could feature a 5.49-inch cover display and a 7.6- or 7.76-inch inner display. The rumoured resolution for both the outer screens is 2,088 x 1,422 and a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the folding display will have a higher 2,713 x 1,920 resolution.
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Hinge Materials
Industry analyst Ming Chi Kuo reported that Apple plans to use liquid metal for the iPhone Ultra hinge. This could further minimise the crease in the design and also improve the durability of the hinge.
Mark Gurman also pointed towards the fact that the foldable iPhone's hinge will be of a higher quality in comparison to other folding phones like the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.
Apple's reason behind this could be that it has a structure that is more resistant towards deformation than other traditional metals. It is almost as tough as titanium, which still retains a stainless steel look.
Plus, going back to the previous leak, the company could also use titanium and aluminium to provide further rigidity to the hinge, using liquid metal or amorphous metal
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Apple iPhone Ultra Processor and Storage
In June 2025, Apple analyst Jeff Pu noted in a research paper that the iPhone Ultra, along with the rest of the iPhone 18 lineup, will feature the Apple A20 processor. This will be based on TSMC's 2nm architecture and will allow it to be 15% faster and 30% more efficient than the Apple A19 chipset currently seen on the iPhone 17.
The iPhone Fold is also expected to arrive with 12 GB of RAM onboard. But it is not certain given the ongoing RAM and storage shortage in the industry, which led to Apple's price hike of several of its products.
But rumours suggest Apple could use TSMC's Wafer-Level-Multi-Chip Module (WLMC) technology. This allows the RAM to be integrated with the SoC, boosting performance and thermal management.
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Modem and SIM Slot
In terms of connectivity, Apple is expected to use its second-generation C2 modem on the iPhone Fold. This is the successor to the C1X modem, seen on the iPhone 17e. This allows support for mmWave 5G technology.
Moreover, the iPhone Ultra could be E-SIM only, just like the iPhone Air, and support regional carriers like Jio, Airtel and Vi in India.
iPhone Ultra: Face ID or Touch ID?
For the first time in a decade, Apple could be moving away from Face ID in exchange for Touch ID on the iPhone Ultra. According to multiple sources, the reason behind this is the lack of space for the TrueDepth camera system beneath the display.
So, Apple could incorporate a Touch ID sensor in the Side button itself, and this rumour is further backed by the recently surfaced iPhone Ultra dummy units.
iPhone Ultra Cameras
In terms of the camera, the iPhone Ultra might feature dual 48MP cameras, placed horizontally. This includes a wide-angle and an ultra-wide lens, like the base iPhone 17. However, it could skip out on the telephoto lens.
Other reports suggest that it might have a 24 MP under-display camera for the inner display and a punch-hole-style selfie shooter on the cover screen. This brings the total camera count of the iPhone Ultra to 4.
Apple iPhone Ultra Battery and Charging
As for power, the Apple iPhone Ultra could feature a battery somewhere between 5,400 and 5,800mAh, according to news aggregator account "yeux1122" on the Korean Naver blog.
This would make it the biggest battery on an iPhone, even more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max's 5,088mAh capacity. It should be enough to deliver a decent battery life with the dual screens on board.
iOS Implementation on iPhone Ultra
The iPhone Fold as it will come out of the box with the iOS 27 update. This means it will feature the new Siri AI and all the other Apple Intelligence features that are coming with the update.
But it could be a modified version, allowing for split-screen and multi-window support to make the most of the larger folding screen. Basically, a simplified version of multitasking features seen on iPadOS.
Apple iPhone Ultra Expected Price
There is no shadow of a doubt that Apple's iPhone Ultra will be its most expensive iPhone yet. So, the iPhone Ultra could cost around $2,000–$2,500. That's thanks to the expensive components and quadrupled memory and RAM prices.
Reliable leaker Instant Digital also shared expected iPhone Ultra storage options:
- 256GB – $2,320 (approximately Rs 2,22,000)
- 512GB – $2,610 (approximately Rs 2,50,000)
- 1TB – $2,900 (approximately Rs 2,80,000)
iPhone Ultra Release Date
Apple analyst Mark Gurman recently confirmed that the iPhone Ultra is launching on 8th September, 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
It was speculated that Apple could delay its plan to release the iPhone Fold this year, given the rising production cost. But another report suggests the company has ordered over 10 million units of the phone, and we are almost sure that the device will launch in just two months.
With more leaks coming out for the device every other day, we'll keep updating the post as new details emerge till the official launch.
