Apple’s first foldable iPhone has apparently moved from the rumor mill to near-production reality. Fresh photos show an iPhone Ultra mockup with Apple branding, plus a matching protective case and screen protector, while the latest chatter says manufacturing will start in July and a launch is lined up for September.
If that timeline holds, Apple is arriving late to the foldable party that Samsung, Huawei, and others have been serving for years. That delay may actually help: the company gets to watch what annoys people about foldables, then ship a version that looks a little more polished and a lot more expensive.
iPhone Ultra mockup details
The mockup suggests a book-style design with an internal display of about 7.7 inches and an outer screen of about 5.3 inches. The most unusual bit is the volume buttons, which appear to sit on the top edge of the body rather than the side.
That sounds odd until you picture the unfolded device. In tablet-like mode, top-mounted controls may actually be easier to reach. Fold it shut, though, and one-handed adjustment starts to look like a finger-stretching exercise Apple will hope you forgive because, well, it has a logo on it.
The power button is said to sit on the right side and double as Touch ID, which would bring fingerprint unlock back to an iPhone after a long absence. For a folding device, that makes sense: Face ID is convenient, but a side-mounted fingerprint reader is still the cheap, reliable fallback every hardware team secretly loves.
Accessories hint at a near-final design
Alongside the mockup, the photos also show a protective case and a glass protector made for the same device. That usually means accessory makers think the shape is settled enough to bet on, even if Apple itself has not said a word publicly.
Majin Bu, the source behind the images, has previously shared accurate leaks about iPad mini details, iPhone 12 colors, issues with iPhone 15, and iPhone 16 mockups. Leakers miss plenty, but this one has enough hits to make the images worth a second look.
- Device name in the leak: iPhone Ultra
- Form factor: book-style foldable
- Inner display: about 7.7 inches
- Outer display: about 5.3 inches
- Production start: July
- Launch target: September
The bigger question is whether Apple can make a foldable that feels like an iPhone first and a science project second. The mockup suggests it is trying, and the industry will be watching closely: if Apple gets the hinge, the displays, and the software right, the rest of the foldable market gets a new benchmark to chase.