Apple may not slap the “iPhone Fold” moniker on its first foldable iPhone, claims Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station in a new Weibo post.
The leaker, who boasts a decent track record when it comes to rumors like this, claimed that Apple’s book-style foldable could launch as the “iPhone Ultra.”
Rumors suggest that Apple’s wide folding foldable phone will be named iPhone Ultra, and domestic manufacturers are also considering following suit with their own wide folding phones, tentatively named Ultra. The screen form factor, chip hardware, and price are all expected to be comparable …
The leaker goes on to say that domestic Chinese manufacturers are scrambling to follow Apple’s lead, as many are tentatively branding their own upcoming foldables as “Ultra” models. However, they will likely have a much lower asking price than Apple’s foldable, which is expected to cost between $2,000 and $2,500.
There is precedent for Apple using the “Ultra” moniker, as the Cupertino firm uses the “Ultra” tag for its Apple Watch Ultra and CarPlay Ultra premium products, as well as its top-end M1 Ultra and M3 Ultra chips. In March, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said Apple is considering using the “Ultra” branding for an OLED touchscreen MacBook and a future AirPods model with cameras.
No matter what it is named, Apple’s foldable iPhone is widely expected to launch later this year, in the September to December timeframe. The device is expected to sport a 5.5-inch outer display, with a iPad-style 4:3 aspect ratio 7.8-inch display when unfolded. The device is said to have a 4.5mm titanium frame, Touch ID, and a starting price of approximately $2,000.
