Apple’s first foldable iPhone is already getting positive feedback from people who have used the device, with early testers praising its pocket-friendly design, durable hinge and larger inner display. However, the expected $2,000-plus iPhone Ultra will reportedly ship without a telephoto camera, leaving buyers with fewer camera options than Apple’s current Pro models.
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple internally refers to the foldable as the iPhone Ultra, with people who have tried it praising how easily it fits into a pocket and how solid the advanced hinge feels. The roughly 7.8-inch internal display also supports iPad-like app layouts, giving users more room for productivity, gaming, video and other apps when they unfold the phone.
“People who have tried the Apple model like how it fits in a pocket, the feel and durability of the advanced hinge mechanism, and the new iPad-like app layouts that take advantage of the larger internal display. It’s going to be an ultra-premium device that provides a halo for the full Apple lineup and will be a marketing engine to get people into the company’s retail stores,” Gurman wrote.
The iPhone Ultra camera has one major omission
The larger display reportedly works particularly well as a camera viewfinder, but Apple has left out a dedicated telephoto camera. The foldable is expected to use a dual-camera system with a 48-megapixel main camera and an ultra-wide camera, meaning buyers will lose the deeper optical zoom available on Apple’s premium Pro iPhones.
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That compromise stands out because the iPhone Ultra is expected to start above $2,000, while higher-storage configurations could pass $2,500. Buyers spending that much on Apple’s most expensive iPhone will reasonably expect a top-tier camera system, especially when photography remains a major selling point for premium smartphones.
Apple has reportedly made another space-saving choice by using Touch ID in the side button instead of Face ID, helping keep the unfolded body around 4.5mm thick. The device is expected to pair a 5.5-inch outer screen with its larger inner display, while Apple plans to introduce it alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup around September 9.
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