Apple's first foldable phone is looking more and more real.

Reports of an iPhone Ultra have floated around for years, but momentum is building for 2026 to be the year the company launches a foldable iPhone with that name. While we've already rounded up everything we knew of the rumored iPhone Fold before, there is more traction lately around the notion that the Ultra is more likely to be the name for Apple's first foldable phone. Plus, details in the iOS 27 developer beta's code have all but confirmed the company is getting ready to roll out software for a device with a fold state and different angles.

The highly anticipated handset could be a major win for power users and multitaskers by putting the capabilities of an iPad Mini into something that still fits in a pocket or clutch. So while we continue to wait for an official announcement from Apple, here's a roundup of the latest and most reliable rumors and info we've heard about the iPhone Ultra so far.

Expected iPhone Ultra launch date

Like most new iPhone models, we're expecting Apple to give us a full rundown of the product sometime this fall at its annual hardware launch. Historically, the company holds this event in the first two weeks of September. If we look back at the past two years, both the iPhone 17 launch and iPhone 16 launch took place on September 9. This lines up with info from Bloomberg Apple analyst Mark Gurman who said in a recent newsletter that "the most likely date for the debut of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max and foldable iPhone is Sept. 8, with Sept. 9 as the runner-up."

As for an actual sale date, that may come a bit later. According to a recent story from Nikkei, Apple is currently ramping up production of the iPhone Ultra and typically, the company begins selling new devices one to two weeks after they're announced. However, the increased complexity of the iPhone Ultra combined with the global RAM shortage may push its official on-sale date back to the end of the year.

There's a chance there may be a small shipment of iPhone Ultras sometime in mid-autumn before the device becomes more widely available in November, December or early 2027. The good news is that the Nikkei claims Apple has told suppliers to prepare to make around 10 million iPhone Ultras, which is up from a previous forecast of around 8 million. So even if you don't get one of the early models, there should be enough to go around, assuming you can stomach its price.

Potential iPhone Ultra pricing

While we wait for official pricing, even this early, it's quite clear that the iPhone Ultra won't be cheap. The general consensus between analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo and Gurman is that Apple's upcoming flexible handset will go for at least $2,000, with some researchers saying it could cost closer to $2,399. That would be even pricier than existing rivals like the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold ($1,799) and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 ($2,000). That said, considering Apple's typical markups and the increased cost of materials due to the worldwide memory shortage, those estimates seem quite plausible.

Rumored design and display

One of the major departures on the iPhone Ultra compared to other book-style foldables is that rumors suggest it will have a significantly wider chassis closer to the original Pixel Fold (pictured above) than the skinnier design Samsung uses on the Galaxy Z Fold line. One advantage of this would be that when opened, the iPhone Ultra would support a wider landscape orientation that makes watching shows and movies more enjoyable compared to Z Fold 7, which features a more square aspect ratio that results in significant letterboxing. (That said, Samsung has teased that its upcoming foldable will be much wider than before, which would make it a popular shape for 2026.)

Kuo claims the foldable iPhone will have a flexible main display that's approximately 7.8 inches across along with a 5.5-inch exterior screen. It's also expected to measure 4.5 to 4.8mm thick unfolded — which would be even thinner than an iPhone Air — or around 9 to 9.5mm when closed. The iPhone Ultra is also expected to feature two rear cameras (with wide and ultra-wide lenses) and a novel 3D-printed hinge. Initially, there were reports that raised concerns about the hinge's durability, but those issues have seemingly been resolved as the phone has begun test production.

As for the screen itself, Bloomberg reported that Apple has opted for "a new display technology that reduces the crease without eliminating it entirely." This would fall in line with existing devices that have greatly reduced the appearance of a crease or fold but still show faint lines when viewed from certain angles.

Notably, it seems Face ID will not be a part of the iPhone Ultra as Apple is choosing instead to rely on Touch ID via a fingerprint sensor built into the phone's lock button. The main reason for this seems to be that Face ID would potentially increase the Ultra's thickness and reduce overall screen real estate in order to accommodate things like infrared face scanners.

Software and battery life

One potential major upgrade on the iPhone Ultra could be a tweaked version of iOS that would offer a more iPad-like layout when the phone's main display is opened. According to Bloomberg, this includes support for side-by-side apps and more optimized app resolutions and aspect ratios. Furthermore, it seems Apple is working on new layouts for existing iOS apps that include sidebars on the left side of the screen similar to what you see on iPads. That said, the Ultra will reportedly not support iPadOS, so it may not get all of the same multitasking features you get from Apple's traditional tablets.

Based on supply chain reports, Apple is testing high capacity batteries ranging from 5,400 to 5,800mAh. Not only would this be significantly larger than what's available in phones like Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 (4,400mAh), it would potentially be the highest capacity battery in any iPhone ever.

Regardless of the exact specs, the iPhone Ultra is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated new iPhones in recent history. And while Apple is playing catch up to competitors like Samsung and Google, with the company's iron clad control over iOS and its ecosystem, the arrival of the iPhone Ultra could finally bring foldable phones to a massive audience of new buyers.