Apple has yet to officially unveil its first foldable iPhone, but pre-production devices have reportedly already been used by people outside the company and the initial impressions are largely positive. The device, which reports suggest could be called the iPhone Ultra, uses a book-style design with an approximately 7.8-inch folding OLED display on the inside and a roughly 5.5-inch external screen. When unfolded, the phone is expected to measure around 4.5mm thick, increasing to approximately 9.5mm when closed. Early users reportedly identify the hinge as one of the device’s strongest features, describing it as solid and durable, while also praising the fact that the foldable remains surprisingly pocket-friendly. Apple is also believed to have focused heavily on making the crease across the folding display almost invisible, addressing one of the biggest compromises associated with current foldable smartphones. The large internal screen enables an iPad-like interface and early feedback suggests it works particularly well for video, gaming, productivity applications and multitasking.
There are, however, several technical compromises that could attract criticism, particularly if predictions of a price above $2,000 prove accurate. The rear camera system is expected to include a 48-megapixel main sensor alongside an ultra-wide camera but no dedicated telephoto lens for optical zoom. The absence of a telephoto camera is reportedly one of the main complaints from people who have already tried the device. Face ID is also expected to disappear because of the extremely thin chassis, with Apple instead reportedly placing Touch ID in the side button. Unofficial specifications point to around 12GB of RAM, storage configurations reaching 1TB and a battery capacity of approximately 4,800 to 5,000mAh. The device is also expected to use a new-generation A20-series processor and software specifically adapted to take advantage of the larger folding display. Apple is widely expected to unveil its first foldable iPhone in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro generation. If the early impressions carry over to the production model, its biggest strengths could be build quality, hinge engineering, the near-invisible display crease and Apple’s integration of iPhone and iPad-style software, while the camera compromises and extremely high price may prove to be its biggest weaknesses.
