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'iPhone Ultra' Likely to 'Repeat the iPhone X Story'
MacRumors • • general
Key Points:
- Apple is expected to unveil its foldable iPhone, reportedly named iPhone Ultra, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but pre-orders for the foldable model may start later due to manufacturing challenges.
- Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo compares this launch strategy to the 2017 iPhone X rollout, where pre-orders began weeks after the initial unveiling, suggesting foldable iPhone pre-orders might not open until Q4 2026.
- The foldable iPhone is estimated to start at $2,299 to $2,499 in the U.S., with high demand potentially causing immediate sellouts and delivery delays of 4-6 weeks or more.
- Apple’s suppliers are projected to ship 7–8 million foldable iPhones in 2026, significantly fewer than the 20–22 million units expected for the iPhone 18 Pro models combined.
- If these predictions hold, customers can anticipate the foldable iPhone announcement in September 2026, but availability for purchase may be delayed until at least October.
