We've heard a bunch of rumors about an alleged "iPhone Ultra" over the past few years, with conflicting information on what this phone might be. Some say it's a premium device beyond the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while others say that Ultra will replace the Pro Max moniker altogether.
But it sounds like all that previous speculation was wrong, because the iPhone Ultra might actually be what Apple calls the foldable iPhone.
This particular rumor comes from Digital Chat Station (DCS) on Weibo. They don't go into great detail about why Apple is choosing this name — only that Chinese foldable brands are likely to copy Apple's playbook and release their own "Ultra" foldables featuring a wide-screen design similar to the one Apple is said to have chosen.
Plenty of other brands offer their own "Ultra" devices already, but considering how much other phone companies love to "take inspiration" from Apple, it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see them change lanes like this.
The question is, why choose to use the iPhone Ultra name instead of iPhone Fold? Ultra could mean anything, whereas Fold perfectly describes the kind of phone people should expect. I have a few ideas about this.
What's in a name?
My first guess is that Apple is playing the long game with its branding. The name "iPhone Fold" may be beneficial in the early years, to help consumers figure out what kind of device Apple is offering, but will that still be the case in a few years? I'm not so sure, and if the iPhone Fold is still around, the foldable aspect will likely be common knowledge.
On top of that, you also have to consider how Apple is going to market this phone. iPhone Fold pigeonholes Apple into just being a foldable, whereas Ultra makes it easier to emphasize what it is available beyond that hinged design.
Given the price is expected to be between $2,000 and $2,400, selling the idea that it's the best of the best will be crucial, and Ultra will be a good name to push that. Expecting people to pay up that kind of money for the foldable gimmick hasn't been a complete failure, but it's not as though foldables are dominating the phone market.
Rumor has it that Apple wants to produce 6-8 million iPhone Folds this year, and with a price that high, it's going to need all the sales help it can get.
We also have to remember that Apple is rather late to the foldable game and needs to make the iPhone Fold stand out from the crowd. Think about how many other foldables use the word "Fold" in their branding.
Samsung, Google and Motorola all do it, and they're Apple's biggest foldable rivals outside of China. By avoiding the "Fold" name, not only does Apple stand out from the competition, it also avoids looking like it's just copying what other phone makers are doing.
That is important, considering reports suggesting the iPhone Fold won't be that different from other foldables on the market. The crease-free display can only carry the phone so far after all.
