Apple's iPhone Ultra foldable phone set for September 2026 launch with premium pricing and limited supply

Apple is preparing to launch its first foldable smartphone, widely expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, in early September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. Supply‑chain sources confirm the device has entered mass production and Foxconn is recruiting workers for its assembly lines. The handset will use a book‑style hinge, a 7.8‑inch inner OLED display and a 5.5‑inch outer screen, with a dual‑cell battery totaling about 4,883 mAh – a figure smaller than earlier rumours and lower than the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s projected 5,300‑5,600 mAh. Analysts Ming‑Chi Kuo and others estimate the launch price at US $2,300‑$2,500, roughly twice the current flagship price. Initial production is expected to be 7‑8 million units for the year, but only 0.5‑1 million will be available at launch, leading to delivery windows of four to six weeks and secondary‑market mark‑ups of 50‑100 %. Apple may stagger the rollout, announcing the foldable with the Pro models but opening pre‑orders later in the fourth quarter, following a pattern similar to the 2017 iPhone X launch. Related regulatory filings also show the iPhone 18 Pro Max gaining a larger battery (up to 5,567 mAh in the U.S. eSIM version) and a modest increase in weight and thickness, reflecting broader component‑cost pressures across the upcoming lineup.