Chinese insider Digital Chat Station, known for accurate Apple leaks, stated on Weibo that the first foldable iPhone may launch under the name iPhone Ultra, rather than iPhone Fold, as media outlets have been calling it. If true, Apple will firmly establish Ultra as the primary branding for its most expensive and technologically advanced devices. However, there are still some uncertainties regarding the iPhone Ultra release date, as Apple has encountered production issues.
It will be Ultra after all, not Fold. Image: the-geek.ru
The Name of the First Foldable iPhone
The name iPhone Fold was coined by journalists and analysts by analogy with Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. Apple would hardly repeat that exact name, since Samsung already uses the word Fold in its lineup.
When folded, the device will be quite compact
The word Ultra is nothing new for Apple. The company already uses it for Apple Watch Ultra, M Ultra chip series, and CarPlay Ultra. And in 2026, Apple plans to release three ultra-class devices at once: the foldable iPhone, AirPods with cameras for visual intelligence, and a MacBook Pro with an OLED screen and touch input support.
Gurman clarifies that Apple “may not use Ultra branding for all” of these devices, but it’s obvious that the company is building a new pricing tier — above Pro.
iPhone Ultra Specs: Display, Camera, Touch ID
Based on the combined rumors from recent months, here’s the picture:
The smartphone will feature Touch ID instead of Face ID
- Book-style form factor: the device is wider than most foldable smartphones, and when unfolded resembles an iPad mini with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
- External display around 5.3 inches, internal display around 7.6 inches, both using OLED panels.
- Dual main camera without a telephoto lens, and instead of Face ID — a side-mounted Touch ID button, like on the iPad.
- The screen crease is noticeably reduced but not completely eliminated — Gurman warns that the result is “not perfect.”
- Thickness when unfolded may be around 4.5 mm, when folded — 9–9.5 mm.
It’s important to understand: all of this is rumors and leaks, not Apple-confirmed data. Specifications may change by the time of the announcement.
iPhone Ultra Price in Russia
The iPhone Fold price might be a bit shocking
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman agree that the starting price will be between $2,000 and $2,500. According to other leaks, the price for the 256 GB version will start at $2,320, for 512 GB — at $2,610, and the 1 TB model could cost $2,900.
Converted to Russian pricing, that’s approximately from 215,000 ₽ for the base version to 312,000 ₽ for the top configuration. This will be the most expensive iPhone in the 2026 lineup. For comparison: according to insiders, the 1 TB version will cost nearly as much as two iPhone 17 Pro units with the same storage capacity.
iPhone Ultra Release Date
Apple will most likely unveil the foldable iPhone in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but it may go on sale later — as late as December. Apple’s partner Foxconn has already begun trial production, and mass production is scheduled for July, provided testing goes smoothly.
According to Ming-Chi Kuo’s forecast, Apple will ship between 3 and 5 million foldable iPhones in 2026 — relatively modest volumes that underscore the device’s niche status at launch.
Is the iPhone Ultra Worth Buying?
The foldable iPhone is a device not for the mass consumer. With a starting price above $2,000 (approximately from 215,000 ₽ in Russia), it’s aimed at early adopters and professionals who need a large screen for work and multimedia.
The smartphone will look very stylish, you can’t deny that
If you currently use a regular iPhone and don’t feel the need for a tablet-sized screen in your pocket — feel free to pass. The lack of a telephoto lens and Face ID may disappoint those who are accustomed to the full feature set of Pro models.
The main thing to remember: for now, all of this is leaks and predictions. Neither the name, nor the price, nor the specifications have been confirmed by Apple. But the fact that rumors are becoming increasingly specific suggests that the announcement is just a few months away.
