The iPhone Ultra will be the ultimate device for iOS power users. | Image by Sonny Dickson
The iPhone Ultra won't just be Apple's first foldable smartphone. It might also be the fastest. While it's expected to use the same A20 Pro chip as the conventional iPhone 18 Pro, a new cooling system may give it a leg up in performance.
Taking shape
Only the iPhone Ultra will get the new cooling system this year. | Image by Fixed Focus Digital
Well-known leaker Fixed Focus Digital claims Apple has ramped up its vapor chamber orders. It's a new system, meant to bring enhanced cooling to the foldable device.
What's so special?
The iPhone 17 Pro was the first iPhone with vapor chamber cooling, so it's only natural that succeeding models will also be outfitted with a thermal management system.
However, the system Fixed Focus Digital mentions will be seen first in the iPhone Ultra, after which it will make its way to the 20th-anniversary iPhone.
Why might the iPhone Ultra have a better cooling system?
An evolved system
The iPhone Ultra might be faster than the iPhone 18 Pro. | Image by Fixed Focus Digital
This means it's not just a recycled version of the system found in the iPhone 17 Pro or slated for the iPhone 18 Pro.
The iPhone 17 Pro's vapor chamber contains deionized water, which moves heat away from the A19 Pro to cooler zones where it condenses back into liquid and travels back to the hot spot. This cycle distributes heat evenly throughout the system, ensuring that the chipset isn't slowed down.
Apple credited this advanced thermal management for the iPhone 17 Pro's snappy performance. Packing an even more robust system into the iPhone Ultra points to better sustained speeds.
iPhone Ultra may make many compromises, but speed ain't it
Because it folds, the iPhone Ultra has space and design constraints. This means iPhone users will have to make do without staples such as Face ID and a telephoto camera.
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It will be 4.8 mm when unfolded, and 9.6 mm in the folded state. For comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max sits at 8.8 mm, and its successor might touch 9.9 to 10.9 mm.
While it could be argued that the iPhone Ultra's thin design demands better cooling, it's worth noting that the similarly slim 5.6 mm-thick iPhone Air skips a thermal system entirely.
It appears that the new system is geared more toward increasing performance than accounting for concerns about overheating. Better cooling would allow the iPhone Ultra to push its limits and multitask more efficiently. Readiness for serious performance is necessary to appeal to power users, who need to be convinced that the device goes above and beyond what the iPhone 18 Pro offers.
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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.
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