iPhone Ultra launch could intially be limited to US amid supply issues: Report
After years of seeing Pixel and Samsung foldables in the market, Apple is finally ready to enter the new smartphone category. Reports suggest that the first foldable iPhone, aka iPhone Ultra, could debut sometime next month alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.
However, just a few weeks ahead of the launch, a new report by ChannelNews Australia suggests that while the iPhone Ultra could debut at the September launch event, it may initially only be available in the US.
The report cites a Chinese component supplier who suggested that the company is currently battling supply, testing and pricing problems for the iPhone Ultra.
The supplier reportedly said that the delay is “primarily down to supply and pricing issues” and added that “we believe the Company is also having testing issues with production models that have already been built”.
The report notes that the iPhone Ultra will be a ‘no show’ on retail shelves everywhere in the world except the USA. However, it adds that the foldable iPhone could next arrive in other key markets, including China.
With the growing importance of India in Apple’s plans, one would hope that the iPhone Ultra arrives in the country shortly after its global debut, but any official or unofficial update on the matter is still awaited.
When is iPhone Ultra launching?
The new report suggests that the foldable iPhone could debut at an event on 8th September. However, this falls flatly against the 9 September date that has been touted by leaks for the last few days.
Moreover, 8th September also falls immediately after the US Labor Day holiday on 7 September, which makes it an unlikely candidate for Apple.
In any case, we could have an official launch date in sight any day, with Apple expected to start sending the invites for its fall event soon.
iPhone Ultra expected specs:
The iPhone Ultra had recently also appeared on luxury brand Caviar’s website, which had also revealed many of the key specifications of the phone.
The iPhone Ultra is said to feature a 5.3-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Both displays are said to use LTPO OLED panels that offer 120Hz refresh rate support.
Caviar also claims that the foldable will use an “innovative hinge and flexible glass” designed to make the display crease nearly invisible.
The iPhone Ultra is said to come with a titanium body and measure 4.5mm when unfolded and 9mm when folded. The phone is said to come in two colour variants, Deep Black and Pure White.
The luxury brand claims that the iPhone Ultra will be powered by the A20 Pro processor based on TSMC’s 3nm process and 12GB of RAM to unlock ‘full iPad-style multitasking.’
Caviar claims that the iPhone Ultra will feature a dual 48MP camera setup on the back and a 24MP under-display camera on the front. It claims that the front camera remains ‘fully concealed beneath the display pixels and works in any position, preserving the uninterrupted surface of the screen.’
The iPhone Ultra is said to pack a 5,800mAh battery, which would make it the iPhone with the biggest battery so far.
