Quick Summary
The iPhone Ultra could integrate a vapour chamber into its folding design.
That will aid cooling to ensure sustained performance under load.
The iPhone Ultra could feature a vapour chamber to help keep the phone cool and sustain performance over longer periods of time. That suggests Apple is positioning it with Pro level performance.
When Apple switched to aluminium in the iPhone 17 Pro models, controversially moving away from titanium, it also introduced a vapour chamber. Together, Apple said that they "efficiently move heat away from the A19 Pro chip, allowing for even higher sustained performance".
That Apple didn't use vapour chambers before might come as a surprise, as they have been common in high-end Android phones for some time.
"This breakthrough in thermal management is key to the most powerful iPhone ever created," said Apple and it looks like that's going to be repeated in the iPhone Ultra.
According to a leaker on Weibo (via 9to5Mac) Apple is going to use a vapour chamber in the iPhone Ultra, which should aid chip cooling.
This will allow the first foldable iPhone to run more intensive tasks for longer, reducing the chance of performance issues under load. It's thought that Apple will use a blend of titanium and aluminium in the device.
We've seen a flurry of leaks for the forthcoming folding phone from Apple, with dummy units starting to surface and giving us a look at the short and wide design that Apple is expected to announce.
Apple's folding phone is expected to be announced in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
Before we get to that point though, Samsung is expected to release a similar format device, with two book-style folding phones expected on 22 July – the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.
Apple's first foray into the folding phone market comes some seven years after Samsung made its debut. Samsung has subsequently dominated discussion of folding phones and is expected to supply the screen that Apple will use.
The question mark that hangs over folding phones is durability, as well as the high price they attract and questionable advantages over regular phones, often being thicker, heavier and harder to use one-handed.
Exactly how Apple tackles the durability and usability of the iPhone Ultra will be the most interesting aspect over the coming year.
