This article may contain personal views and opinion from the author.
The iPhone Ultra will face some steep challenges. | Image by Fpt.
Expectations for the iPhone Ultra are extremely high, to put it mildly. Apple’s first foldable iPhone is expected to propel the form factor to mainstream popularity and dominate the market.
Those expectations are both unsurprising and unrelated to the device itself because anything Apple launches will sell well at first. The real challenge will come once the hype settles down and the iPhone Ultra needs to compete on its own merits.
Apple appears to be aware of that, and it’s investing in having an outstanding phone that would be appealing to as many people as possible. Beyond being a new type of iPhone, the new foldable may also be thinner than previously rumored, measuring just 9.23 mm when folded.
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Even if that’s almost as thin as the fantastic Galaxy Z Fold 7, I don’t think it will be enough for the iPhone Ultra to sell well. I think Apple’s foldable has two main challenges without obvious solutions that may have a detrimental effect on its success.
A lack of variety
Even if the iPhone Ultra is as thin and nice as the rumors claim, it will also have a very specific design. Similar to the iPhone Air, the device will arrive with a new concept that won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
While the wide screen idea already has its fans, many users don’t seem convinced. A recent survey revealed that only about a third of the users like wide foldables.
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That puts Samsung in a much better position to continue dominating the global foldable markets with its diverse portfolio. The company already has the traditional book-style foldable and the Galaxy Z Flip 7, which are expected to be joined by the Galaxy Z Wide Fold.
The Pura X Max is only one of Huawei’s many foldables. | Image by Huawei
In China, which is Apple’s second most important market, Huawei has the same advantage. The Chinese company is already dominating its domestic market with an even more extensive portfolio. There are the Mate X7, the tri-foldable Mate XTs, the unique Pura X, and the recently announced Pura X Max, among many others.
Apple will barely answer one of those devices, leaving many users without an alternative.
All about the price
The iPhone Ultra won’t come cheap. | Image by Fpt.
The only thing that could make the iPhone Ultra impossible to miss is if Apple launches it at an extremely competitive price. Even before the ongoing memory shortage crisis started, that was deemed unlikely.
Rumor has it that Apple will charge $1,999 for the iPhone Ultra, though some earlier reports have mentioned prices as high as $2,400. While Samsung is also rumored to charge $1,999 for the Galaxy Z Fold Wide, that’s still a hefty price.
Hardcore Apple fans won’t be bothered by the price tag, even if it's at the higher end of the spectrum, but everyday customers may look somewhere else. Motorola already offers the cheaper Moto Razr Fold, and upcoming flip phones like the Razr (2026) and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 will offer a foldable experience at a much lower price.
Apple’s only way out of this is to rely fully on its brand power and ecosystem lock. Once again, something that won’t be an issue initially, but it could hinder the company’s ambitions to dominate that nascent market segment in the long term.
Nothing is guaranteed
Of course, Apple could have many surprises ready for the iPhone Ultra. We may get some truly innovative features that would make the wide form factor hard to miss or even a slightly lower price to attract more buyers.
I’m still excited to see the iPhone Ultra and how Apple tackles the hefty challenges of launching such a phone right now. Still, my expectations are for a nice device with big clout and little market impact.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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