According to a new report from Australia, the iPhone Ultra won't be available worldwide immediately after its official debut in September. The report also claims Apple won't reveal the iPhone Ultra rice tag during the September 8 event.
The iPhone Ultra will be US-only
Buying the iPhone Ultra is shaping up to be a tall order. | Image by Saurav_DJ47 on X
The information comes from the Australian Channel News outlet and cites an unnamed Apple supplier as its source. In an interview the Chinese supplier shared that Apple is battling supply, testing, and pricing problems. This will not only result in delays but also reportedly force Apple to roll out the iPhone Ultra in the US first and in limited supply.
Don't expect the phone to show in retail stores, as the source says it will be a "no-show" situation when the iPhone 18 range launches.
primarily down to supply and pricing issues…we believe the Company is also having testing issues with production models that have already been built
- Apple supplier in an interview for Channel News Australia
People in other parts of the world will have to wait for up to a couple of months to get their hands on the new device. According to the report, China will be the next country to get the iPhone Ultra, followed by other key markets.
Would you wait months for the iPhone Ultra to hit the shelves?
No iPhone Ultra price at launch
The price tag of the iPhone Ultra is expected to remain a mystery even after the September 8 event. | Image by TechDroider
Another interesting point in this interview is the iPhone Ultra's price tag. The Chinese supplier thinks Apple won't be revealing the iPhone Ultra price during the launch event. This could be down to production uncertainties, further delays, and other factors tied with the ongoing memory shortage.
The latest rumors put the starting price of the iPhone Ultra somewhere around the $2,000 mark, with one report from Germany saying the model will "cross the $2,000 threshold in the US."
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iPhone Ultra production problems
It seems that Apple underestimated the foldable challenge. | Image by Sonny Dickson
In the same interview, the unnamed supplier claims that Apple has hit "more issues than expected" during the production and testing phase of the iPhone Ultra.
The key problematic areas are reportedly the hinge mechanism and the foldable display. According to insiders, Apple is working under pressure to solve these issues, but current solutions are not enough.
Another rumor currently circulating the internet says Apple engineers were impressed by the Galaxy Z Fold 8 quality and this was one of the reasons to go back to the drawing boards with the iPhone Ultra.
According to inside sources, Apple plans to manufacture just seven million iPhone Ultra units in the second half of 2026, a rather small number compared to roughly 100 million iPhone 17 series devices produced.
Good news for Samsung
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the big winner in all this. | Image by PhoneArena
The big winner in this situation is Samsung, of course. Not only the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will remain the most popular foldable for longer, but the rumors that Apple was intimidated by the build quality of the device pours water in Samsung's mill.
That and the uncertain price tag might turn the launch of the most anticipated device of 2026 into a disaster.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
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