If this iPhone Ultra price leak is true, Apple is repeating a huge mistake

Earlier this week, another iPhone Ultra price leak started circulating on the interwebs. An Australian user posted on X the alleged prices for the different iPhone Ultra configurations in Australian dollars.

The leak supposedly came from a friend who happened to work at Vodafone Australia. Here are the iPhone Ultra prices according to that particular leak:

iPhone Ultra rumored price:

• 256GB: 3,699 AUD (~$2,663)
• 512GB: 4,199 AUD (~$3,023)
• 1TB: 4,699 AUD (~$3,382)

Given that both leaks originated from Vodafone, there's a strong possibility these are the actual iPhone Ultra prices. The leaked listing on Vodafone Egypt's site doesn't specify the storage, and it could very well be the 512GB model, corroborating the Australian leak.

Smells like Apple Vision Pro all over again

I just can't help but draw parallels to the Vision Pro here. Apple's head-worn computer and mixed-reality headset were supposed to change the AR/VR industry forever. They were supposed to give the technology the long-awaited push, taking it out of gamers' bedrooms and onto everyone's… face, I guess.

The Vision Pro had many small problems and one much bigger conceptual one. It was uncomfortable to wear for prolonged periods, and it was an isolating, lonesome experience. While the iPhone Ultra doesn't share these specific conceptual problems, it comes with an almost identical price tag.

The price was arguably one of the main reasons the Vision Pro flopped in the end. Had it been cheaper, a lot more people could've hopped on that train. But at $3,500, the Vision Pro was too big of an investment — and a risky one, as well.

Has Apple learned nothing?

Apple is in much bigger trouble with the iPhone Ultra. Unlike the Vision Pro, which was a novel product and remains an unmatched technical marvel to this day despite its failure, foldable phones have been around for almost a decade now.

The "novelty" factor is gone, and even though a foldable iPhone is still a very exciting gadget, there are a lot of competitors this phone will have to face.



I've reviewed three generations of Honor foldables myself (they are great), and even Samsung has caught up with the Far East competition with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 series. Apple's biggest rival jumped the gun and launched a wide, passport-style foldable with a silicon-carbon battery starting at $1,899.

Samsung is eight generations ahead and now offers a direct rival to the iPhone Ultra when it comes to aspect ratio, and it costs a lot less. I'm not talking about an obscure Huawei foldable or an Honor device that are both hard to get in the States. You can walk into Verizon or AT&T tomorrow, hand over your iPhone, and get a Galaxy Z Fold 8.

But even if you're willing to shell out $2,599, which is the optimistic prediction about the iPhone Ultra's price, there's another issue.

iPhone Ultra shipping delays

Various news outlets reported that the iPhone Ultra might face shipping delays due to production issues, component shortages, and supplier struggles.

The rock-solid TF International analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple might be replaying the 2017 iPhone X release with a September unveiling, followed by pre-orders and shipments in late October or early November.

Previous leaks citing supply chain insiders push the actual availability of the iPhone Ultra all the way to spring 2027. Even the most optimistic predictions suggest a limited, US-only run for the iPhone Ultra.

In the end, the iPhone Ultra is shaping up to be an expensive device that won't be available at launch. That's a double whammy for Apple. What do you think about the iPhone Ultra? Will it follow the Vision Pro's fate, or will it be a hit?