Apple’s Pioneering Foldable iPhone: Features and Expectations
The highly anticipated foldable iPhone, informally referred to as the “iPhone Ultra,” is projected to debut devoid of at least four features that will be standard on the iPhone 18 Pro models, commanding a starting price of no less than $2,000.
Notably, the iPhone Ultra is expected to mirror the sleek design of the iPhone Air, characterized by its ultra-thin profile, titanium chassis, and glass backing.
However, it appears that it will forego several functionalities. Although the presence of stereo speakers remains indeterminate, the overall compromises made by Apple may preclude their inclusion.
Drawing from a year’s worth of speculation and insights, the iPhone Ultra is anticipated to lack the following features:
- Face ID/TrueDepth camera system
- Telephoto camera/tertiary rear camera
- Dedicated Action button
- Physical SIM card slot
- mmWave 5G technology
Initially, the inclusion of MagSafe was in question earlier in the rumor timeline.
Face ID
It is believed that the iPhone Ultra’s streamlined design may render it incompatible with Apple’s TrueDepth camera system, essential for Face ID authentication. Consequently, the tech giant appears poised to substitute this feature with a side-mounted Touch ID button.
Nevertheless, the device will incorporate a front-facing camera for both displays, with speculation suggesting that the internal camera could be a 24-megapixel under-display sensor. Biometric authentication, however, will be managed through the fingerprint reader.
It is worth noting that the last flagship iPhone to feature Touch ID was the iPhone 7, released in 2016. In a contrasting trajectory, the iPhone 18 Pro models seem set to innovate, with plans to position Face ID’s flood illuminator beneath the display to minimize the Dynamic Island’s footprint.
Telephoto Camera
According to dummy models circulated by notable insiders such as Sonny Dickson and Vadim Yuryev, the iPhone Ultra is likely to include only two rear cameras.
Reportedly, these will consist of a 48-megapixel Wide camera and an Ultra Wide camera, omitting the third Telephoto camera standard in Pro models.
Mark Gurman from Bloomberg remarked that while initial testers of the device were impressed, they highlighted the camera system as a probable letdown for potential purchasers.
Action Button
Current dummy models suggest that the iPhone Ultra will forgo the Action button entirely. Instead, a power button and volume controls are conspicuously visible, with the latter situated on the device’s top edge, aligned to the right—similar to the iPad mini.
The left edge, conversely, remains devoid of any buttons. This would mark the iPhone Ultra as the inaugural model to omit the Action button and silent switch since its introduction three years ago with the iPhone 15 Pro.
This distinctive button configuration was initially hinted at by the Weibo leaker “Instant Digital,” who indicated that the motherboard is oriented on the device’s right side.
Rather than routing cables across the display to the left side, Apple seems to have opted for a more direct path upwards to optimize internal space.
Physical SIM Card Slot
Speculation suggests that the iPhone Ultra will similarly lack a SIM card slot, mimicking the eSIM-only design of the iPhone Air. Both Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo anticipate that the device will strictly utilize eSIM across all launch markets.
mmWave 5G Connectivity
Moreover, if the iPhone Ultra adopts Apple’s proprietary C2 modem as rumored, it is likely to exclude mmWave 5G capability, as reports indicate that the C2 may not yet support mmWave bands.
Unlike the U.S.-exclusive iPhone 18 Pro models, which will retain Qualcomm hardware to accommodate mmWave bands utilized by American carriers, the foldable’s C2-centric configuration may confine connectivity to sub-6GHz 5G.
MagSafe Inclusion
Contrary to initial concerns, Mark Gurman from Bloomberg has recently asserted that MagSafe will ultimately feature in the device.
In a conversation with Tom’s Guide, Gurman expressed confidence that “all indications I’ve heard are that MagSafe is in for this foldable phone,” citing Apple’s successful integration of the magnetic array within the iPhone Air.
The initial ambiguity surrounding MagSafe stemmed from early dummy models, which did not exhibit evidence of the internal magnets, while counterparts of the iPhone 18 Pro displayed these features clearly. However, leaked cases for the foldable revealed a magnetic ring, offering clarity to the speculation.
Pricing and Launch Speculations
Speculation around the pricing for the iPhone Ultra suggests a range that does not fall below $1,999, with estimates from Kuo predicting a range between $2,000 and $2,500.
In comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro, which incorporates all aforementioned features, begins at $1,099. While the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to witness a price increase of $200 to $300, the controversies surrounding the compromises of the iPhone Ultra could generate substantial debate.
Apple is anticipated to unveil the device alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max during its “Surprise and Shine” event scheduled for Wednesday, September 9.
Source link: Macrumors.com.
