iPhone Ultra Price: Paying Mostly for the Fold
The iPhone Ultra is expected to start at USD 1,999 (approx. RM9,240), placing it roughly in a different league from mainstream flagships. Analysts frame it as about double the starting price of an iPhone 17 Pro, with higher‑storage versions reportedly climbing well beyond that. Yet this premium does not buy a spec‑sheet blowout. Instead, you are primarily paying for the ability to unfold a phone into a near‑tablet, plus the engineering that makes that possible. Current leaks suggest the Ultra arrives without Face ID, a telephoto camera, MagSafe, or even an Action button, making it a rare top‑tier iPhone that actually offers fewer headline features than the Pro line beneath it. The iPhone Ultra price conversation is therefore less about raw power—where it should excel—and more about whether the folding form factor alone justifies such a steep entry cost.
Foldable iPhone Specs: Screen, Chip, and Battery
On paper, the foldable iPhone specs behind the Ultra are undeniably high‑end. It is expected to ship with a 7.76‑inch inner display (often rounded to 7.8 inches) and a 5.49‑inch outer screen, both tuned for a near crease‑free experience—potentially a genuine breakthrough for foldables. Inside, an A20 Pro chip built on TSMC’s 2‑nanometer process is paired with 12GB of RAM, matching the silicon tipped for future Pro‑class iPhones. Battery capacity is rumoured to land somewhere between 5,500 and 5,800mAh, which would make it the largest battery ever used in an iPhone and critical for powering that expansive inner panel. The chassis reportedly uses a grade‑5 titanium frame and a liquid metal hinge, allowing the device to hit an impressively thin 4.5mm when unfolded while still feeling premium in the hand.
iPhone Ultra Features: What’s Missing at $1,999
The most controversial part of the iPhone Ultra features list is what Apple appears to have left out, especially given the USD 1,999 (approx. RM9,240) starting point. There is no telephoto lens—only dual 48MP wide and ultrawide cameras—so optical zoom is limited to what in‑sensor cropping can mimic. Face ID is reportedly gone because the 4.5mm frame cannot fit Apple’s TrueDepth camera array; Touch ID returns via the power button instead. Leaked dummy units also show no MagSafe magnet ring and no cutout for an Action button. By contrast, an iPhone 17 Pro, expected to start at USD 1,099 (approx. RM5,080), includes all of these. That means you are paying roughly USD 900 (approx. RM4,160) more for a device that, on paper, does less in several everyday categories like secure unlocking, wireless accessories, and versatile zoom.
Design and Repairability: A Quiet but Real Advantage
Beyond headline foldable iPhone specs, the Ultra’s internal design may be one of its most consumer‑friendly advantages. Leaks describe a reworked structure that avoids the usual maze of cables snaking through the hinge area. The motherboard is said to sit on the right side of the chassis, while the volume buttons migrate to the top edge, helping keep fragile ribbon cables away from the folding axis. A heavily stacked internal layout is also reportedly used to maximise battery capacity without adding excessive thickness. Combined, these changes aim to make the foldable iPhone more repairable than many existing foldables, where screen or hinge issues can be extremely complex to fix. If accurate, this could pay off over the Ultra’s lifespan, offsetting some of the upfront premium through potentially lower repair complexity and better long‑term durability.
Is the Premium Phone Value Really There?
When you compare the iPhone Ultra price with current flagships, the value question becomes sharply focused. A conventional Pro‑class iPhone offers Face ID, MagSafe, telephoto zoom, and an Action button at a significantly lower starting price, while still delivering cutting‑edge performance. The Ultra instead trades those mature features for a large, nearly crease‑free 7.76‑inch display, iOS optimised for split‑screen multitasking, and a tablet‑like canvas that lives in your pocket. If that changes how you work, read, or watch content—effectively replacing the need to reach for a small tablet—the premium may feel justified. If you mostly use your phone one‑handed and rarely multitask, the Ultra’s compromises will likely feel like overpaying for novelty. In the end, this device is a bet that the next leap in premium phone value is not more features, but a new way to hold and use a screen.