Apple could expand ‘Ultra’ tier with an OLED MacBook and high-end iPhone: Here’s what to expect

Apple just completed its big week of launches with a plethora of products including the new iPhone 17e and the MacBook Neo. Soon after the launches, a new report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman states that the Cupertino-based tech giant is now planning a more significant shift towards the higher-end segment with three Ultra devices to launch this year.

What Ultra devices will Apple launch?

Reportedly, Apple may not use the Ultra branding for all three of the products but some of the items will fall in this category. Here are three Ultra products that the tech giant could launch this year:

iPhone Ultra:

Gurman notes that the upcoming foldable iPhone will be an “ultra” product in the sense that it will cast a shadow over the rest of the lineup due to its $2,000 price point and a plethora of new technologies used like in-display sensors. The report also notes that Apple may eventually go on to call the device “Ultra” but a more literal name like the iPhone Fold is also in the realms of possibility.

AirPods:

Apple’s next-generation AirPods could also come with the Ultra branding. The tech giant is reportedly looking to equip these earphones with computer-vision cameras to feed visual intelligence to Siri and they are likely to be priced higher than the current AirPods Pro.

MacBook:

The next high-end MacBook update from Apple is expected to feature a touch-enabled OLED display which is expected to raise the price of the device. Gurman notes that a similar switch to OLED in the iPad led to the starting price going up by 20%, and similarly the iPhone going OLED led to the $1,000 base price coming in for the first time.

The report notes that Apple could keep the traditional MacBook Pro branding but a “MacBook Ultra” branding could more clearly signal its position at the top of the lineup.

Gurman also stated that an Ultra product that didn’t come with that branding recently was the Studio Display XDR. Moreover, the company may also expand to other super-premium tiers including the iPad and Mac. Apple is said to be preparing a high-end foldable OLED iPad that could be another Ultra product.

Meanwhile, the company is also said to be experimenting with iMacs with more powerful processors and larger displays.

In related news, Gurman also revealed that Apple is working on ways to 3D-print aluminium which could bring more efficiency to Apple Watch casings and potentially one day to the iPhone.