Apple is about to make one big mistake with the iPhone Ultra

The first foldable iPhone has been occupying the headlines in the past couple of months and for good reason. Everyone expects Apple's first attempt at a foldable smartphone to be quite interesting, to say the least; some even think it could change the game.

There's one mistake Apple is about to make, and it's not tied to the hardware or the software side of the things. It concerns the name. Because I think calling the first foldable iPhone "Ultra" could be a huge mistake.

Breaking Apple's naming scheme

For many generations of iPhone devices, the "base-Pro-Pro Max" naming scheme has been helping people make sense of the different iPhone tiers.

Each name means something specific and it's tied to the size, camera, and overall performance of the iPhone, as well as its price.

The "base" model has been the smallest one, both in size and specs-wise, for quite a few generations now. Then comes the "Pro" model, compact as the base iPhone but with upgraded specs, a better chipset, and a better camera system. The "Pro Max" is the top-of-the line, offering the largest screen and biggest battery.

The upcoming "Ultra" kind of muddies that segregation a little. Is it the most powerful one, the biggest one? Or just the most expensive one? It's not quite clear, and the most important feature is actually omitted from the name.

There's no hint of "fold" in the name

According to the latest rumors, Apple is dropping the "Fold" moniker from the name of the foldable iPhone. That could be the biggest mistake, as it's the most important feature of this device.

Granted, most people who are interested and follow the subject won't get confused about what the iPhone Ultra is. But the regular Joe who's not lurking on tech sites 24/7 will have a hard time connecting the "Ultra" and "foldable" dots.

It's a risky move, especially for a totally new product in the portfolio. The fact that Samsung has Fold/Flip models and also a non-folding Ultra flagship doesn't help either. Which leads us to the next point.

The "Ultra" badge is overused

A couple of weeks ago I finished the review of the Poco F8 Ultra and thought to myself, "Gosh, everyone's on this Ultra train lately." We have the aforementioned Poco Ultra, a Xiaomi Ultra, a Huawei Pura Ultra, and the Galaxy Ultra, of course.

I remember how the "Pro" moniker was supposed to signify almost "professional" level of performance, and then the Pro Max came along, and now we have "Ultra" everywhere, even on mid-range phones.

Launching the first foldable iPhone under this "Ultra" shadow is doing a disservice to the new and exciting device Apple plans to introduce. And finally, it may be a bit undeserved and draw unwanted parallels.

iPhone Ultra, but no ultra-specs?

The specs of the upcoming iPhone Ultra are still under wraps and subject to major speculation, but many rumors point toward an alarming prediction.

The iPhone Ultra might not get the best hardware specs, compared to the other devices in the lineup. We might not get Face ID, and according to the leaked renders, there are only two cameras on the back.

These compromises are completely understandable when we talk about foldables, but when the device bears the "Ultra" moniker, they stick out more.

Conclusion

There's still time, and nothing is set in stone about the iPhone Ultra (or the iPhone Fold), name-wise. My personal preference goes to the "Fold" name. It's a universal telltale of what you're dealing with and doesn't imply ultra specs, so to speak.

What do you think about all this? How should the foldable iPhone be called?

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