Apple’s first foldable iPhone: Price, release date and biggest rumours
Key takeaways
- Apple first foldable iPhone, likely called the iPhone Ultra, will be unveiled in September, though it may not go on sale until later in the year.
- It's rumoured to open into a crease-free 7.8-inch screen, drop Face ID for a Touch ID power button and be Apple's thinnest device yet.
- Overseas prices point to US$2,000 to US$2,500, which could translate to roughly $3,000 to $3,800 in Australia.
Apple is finally about to join the foldable phone club.
Its first-ever folding iPhone is expected to be unveiled in September alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, and it's very likely to be called the iPhone Ultra.
Here's everything we're expecting so far, including how much it could cost in Australia.
You can also catch up on all the Pro model rumours in our separate wrap-up.
When is the iPhone Ultra launching in Australia?
Apple hasn't confirmed the phone exists, let alone a date.
However, we expect it to revealed in the early hours of 10 September in Australia, though the actual sale may be delayed until October or November due to tricky manufacturing and limited early stock.
How much will the iPhone Ultra cost in Australia?
It might be a pricey one.
Overseas, analysts expect the foldable to launch somewhere between US$2,000 and US$2,500, with some estimates going even higher for larger storage capacities.
This could put Australian pricing at around $3,000 to $3,800, making it Apple's priciest phone by a wide margin.
For context, Apple's current top-end iPhone, the 17 Pro Max, starts at $2,199 in Australia.
The recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra start at $2,699 and $2,999, respectively.
What will the foldable iPhone look like?
The foldable is expected to open like a book, giving you a roughly 7.8-inch inner screen, with a smaller 5.5-inch cover display on the front for quick tasks when it's closed.
The big claim is that the crease could be almost invisible.
Apple is rumoured to have worked with Samsung on a display that hides the fold line far better than current foldables, paired with a new hinge and ultra-thin glass.
It's also expected to be seriously thin.
Leaks point to around 4.5mm when unfolded, which would make it the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever made, and around 9 to 9.6mm when folded.
What are the other biggest iPhone Ultra rumours?
Here's a quick rundown of what you can expect:
- The same A20 chip expected in the iPhone 18 Pro, rumoured to be up to 15% faster and around 30% more power efficient than the current model.
- 12GB of RAM, more than the standard iPhones, to handle running two apps side by side on the big screen.
- A large battery, with estimates ranging from around 4,900mAh to 5,800mAh, split into two packs to fit either side of the fold.
- Two 48-megapixel rear cameras, a main and an ultra-wide camera, with no dedicated zoom lens.
- A 24-megapixel selfie camera on both the inner and cover screens.
- A titanium and aluminium frame with a liquid metal hinge for better durability.
As always, none of this is official until Apple confirms it.
Will the iPhone Ultra have Face ID?
Looks like that would be a no.
There isn't enough room in the thin folding body for Apple's Face ID sensors, so the foldable is tipped to switch to Touch ID built into the power button, similar to the Touch ID power button Apple already uses on some iPads.
That would make it the first iPhone in years to use Touch ID to unlock with your fingerprint instead of your face.
Sources
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