Apple prepares a folding iPhone Ultra alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. While the Ultra boasts a massive 7.8-inch inner display and exclusive multitasking features, rumors indicate it sacrifices key hardware like Face ID, a telephoto lens, and MagSafe.
Display Advantages and Pocket Comfort
Apple is launching three flagship iPhones next week, bringing both traditional slab models and a new folding device to market. Apple has three new flagship iPhones launching next week: iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max and iPhone Ultra. The incoming iPhone Ultra aims to capture consumers looking for extremes in screen size, offering a folding form factor with a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner screen. Dummy models for iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max show that iPhone Ultra will have two displays with the following rumored dimensions: a 5.5-inch cover display and a 7.8-inch inner display. By comparison, the iPhone 18 Pro features a 6.3-inch screen, while the larger Pro Max stretches to 6.9 inches. Essentially, iPhone Ultra provides both a larger display than the Pro models and also a smaller one. As a result, it will be the better choice for anyone wanting the largest iPhone screen, but it could also be a winner for fans of small phones, like the discontinued iPhone mini.
The Pro lineup—particularly the iPhone 18 Pro Max—will be hit-or-miss in fitting pockets. This was already an issue with iPhone 17 Pro models. And while dimensions will largely be the same this year, rumors indicate the plateau could get even thicker to make room for the new camera system. iPhone Ultra, meanwhile, will have a compact form factor when folded. It should fit in far more pockets with ease. Additionally, the sleek, Air-inspired design of iPhone Ultra should be more comfortable in the hand than Apple’s bulkier Pro models.
Software and Multitasking on the Foldable Screen
Though iPhone Ultra will have a few hardware drawbacks compared to iPhone 18 Pro, it’s likely in the software experience that it will earn its ‘Ultra’ branding. Side-by-side apps are rumored to be an exclusive multitasking feature of iPhone Ultra. When unfolded, you’ll be able to keep two apps active on-screen at all times. Drag and drop will even be supported between apps. iOS 27 also brings landscape support to lots of system apps for the first time, no doubt intended for iPhone Ultra though available on other models too. This will enable an iPad-like app experience on iPhone Ultra’s large 7.8-inch screen.
Biometric and Photographic Tradeoffs
Users will experience the downgrade from the moment they pick up their iPhone Ultra. Due to its complex folding design, Face ID, the decade-old biometric authenticator and standard across all iPhone models, will reportedly be missing from a flagship iPhone for the first time since 2017. Instead, you’ll have to precisely position your registered finger on the Touch ID sensor embedded into the power button, as with the iPad. The operating system relies on biometric authentication for numerous sensitive tasks, beyond merely unlocking your iDevice, and is used for Apple Pay, Apple Passwords, App Store purchases, etc. If your fingertip is moist or you’re wearing gloves, you’re going to find yourself manually entering your iPhone’s passcode countless times per day.
The iPhone Ultra will reportedly have just two cameras, a stark downgrade from the Pro phones. iPhones are many users’ sole digital cameras, with the Pro models boasting three advanced rear lenses for wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto shots. Given the Ultra name’s perceived superiority, customers would assume that the folding iPhone would match or even outdo the Pro variants in photography, but in reality, it likely won’t. According to rumors, the iPhone Ultra will completely drop the telephoto lens, downgrading the maximum digital zoom from 40x to around 10x, which will bar users from taking crisp shots of faraway subjects. Furthermore, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is rumored to exclusively adopt a variable aperture main camera, letting you control the depth of field and produce more balanced photos, a feature you won’t get with an iPhone Ultra either.
Missing Physical Controls and Accessories
A couple of years ago, the iPhone 15 Pro retired the classic mute switch in favor of an all-new Action button. The mappable button allows users to run any task by pressing and holding it, including custom shortcuts, menus, and conditionals, making the Action button highly personalizable and useful. Based on the latest reports, the iPhone Ultra will exclude the Action button, providing users without an easy way to perform frequent daily actions. Another common iPhone feature that might be missing is MagSafe. Not only does MagSafe provide a more reliable wireless charging experience and unlock StandBy mode, but it also lets you effortlessly attach a wide range of accessories, including wallets, power banks, kickstands, tripods, and much, much more.
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