Apple foldable iPhone Ultra and iPhone 18 Pro: Release date rumors, colors and everything else we know about the upcoming lineup
In roughly two months, the 2026 iPhone event will be here and we'll finally get a look at Apple's latest wave of products. As of now, we already have a good idea of what to expect thanks to tons of rumors and leaks. A folding iPhone — potentially to be called the iPhone Ultra — is widely expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 lineup. We've even seen some recent hints in the new iOS 27 beta software that point even more in that direction. Many of us have been dreaming about a foldable iPhone since Samsung dropped its first Galaxy Fold in 2019 (though I didn't expect Apple to take seven years to launch one). But the rumored new high-end model will still be part of a family of handsets if and when it's announced this fall. Nikkei reports Apple plans to launch at least five new iPhone models between the second half of 2026 and the first half of 2027. That lines up with expectations that the foldable will join updated versions of the four models already in Apple's line. And the company has already started ramping up production of its foldable iPhone, according to Nikkei, instructing suppliers to prepare to produce 10 million foldables this year, an increase over earlier production forecasts. Here's everything we "know" — and can be assumed — when it comes to the iPhone Fold and iPhone 18, 18e and Pro models, as well as an iPhone Air 2, and when they'll likely be released. And that includes expectations on price — because we now know even Apple isn't immune to RAMageddon. Apple's rumored 2026 iPhone lineup While we won't have the details until Apple actually makes an announcement in September, here are all the iPhones we're expecting to see during the fall event. However, it's likely not all phones will become available in September — some will likely ship out late 2026 and into the first quarter of 2027 — more on that below. (As a rule, Apple does not comment on hardware before it's officially announced.) iPhone Fold, aka iPhone Ultra If the rumors are true, the iPhone Fold is expected to be Apple's most innovative redesign in years, and could be named iPhone Ultra. There's also been plenty of speculation about what its foldable will look like: Will it open and close like a book? Or will it operate more like a clamshell flip phone of old? Instead of the typical glass slab of a rectangular phone that we've seen more or less since the original iPhone was launched, the leaked dummy model shows a shorter, chunkier design. Some rumors, per MacRumors, suggest the phone will have a 5.5-inch display when closed and roughly 7.8 inches when open, with a wider 4:3 aspect ratio like an iPad. That would make it similar to the new Huawei Pura X Max Wide foldable. It has a raised camera bump with two cameras — though since it's rumored to be pretty thin at 4.5mm when open, there's no room for the TrueDepth camera system that powers facial recognition. Because of that, it's said to use Touch ID instead of Face ID, which feels like a setback. And since Samsung is basically a pro when it comes to foldable displays, it'll likely supply the OLED screen. Speaking of screens, there will be two: One on the outside for when the phone is closed and one larger display on the inside when the phone is open. The phone's shell will be made from titanium and aluminum, MacRumors says. Also, it'll reportedly have a liquid metal hinge and vapor chamber cooling. Lastly, don't expect to see any bright colors this time around. Instead, Apple reportedly will keep to two colors: a silver/white finish and an indigo option that resembles the iPhone 17 Pro's Deep Blue color. A little disappointing for anyone who prefers vibrant colors. Recently, leaker Ice Universe posted on Weibo what could be a white iPhone Ultra (we've posted the image below). Could this be the actual iPhone Ultra? (Ice Universe via Weibo) iPhone 18 Pro Several new features and colors are rumored to be coming with the iPhone 18 Pro models. It'll be a familiar design — pretty similar to the 17 Pro's, with the same display dimensions — but more powerful, with LTPO+ display technology for longer battery life and better efficiency. It's rumored to come equipped with an A20 chip for better speed and efficiency, succeeding the A19 chip used in the iPhone 17 series. The camera is expected to get a big upgrade this year. It's rumored to have an all-new aperture lens, meaning it will "physically adjust the size of the lens opening to control how much light reaches the sensor." Additionally, it's rumored to have a smaller Dynamic Island and a simplified Camera Control button without touch sensitivity and haptic feedback. As for colors this year, one purported leak shows they could be light blue, dark cherry, dark gray and silver. It's also expected to use the aluminum finish the 17 Pro currently has. The back Ceramic Shield area could also get a frosted finish. These could be the new iPhone 18 Pro colors we get this year. iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e Apple, according to a Weibo leaker, is reportedly downgrading the iPhone 18 to cut costs, MacRumors reports. This includes manufacturing processes, chips and memory, among other downgrades, with a goal to "bring it in line with the '18e' model." While that would be unusual for Apple, the company is likely dealing with the same supply chain challenges that are bedeviling the entire tech industry, as the demand for RAM and storage for AI data centers drives up component prices across the board. In fact, recent comments from industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo indicate the iPhone 18 and 18e may feature 9GB of RAM. That's an increase from their predecessors' 8GB, but we typically see jumps of at least 2GB with these sorts of upgrades. Still, the extra RAM should help with the on-device AI features Apple is working on in iOS 27. iPhone Air 2 There's some debate about whether we'll get an iPhone Air 2 or an iPhone 18 Plus. But rumors are leaning toward another thin phone, MacRumors reports. Changes would include improvements to the device's battery life, a new chip for better performance and maybe a vapor chamber for improved cooling. The biggest change expected for the iPhone Air 2 is the addition of a second rear camera for ultrawide photography. Next to its relatively short battery life (versus its thicker siblings), the lack of a second camera on the first-gen iPhone Air was perhaps the biggest knock on the first-gen Air. iPhone release dates If the early reports are true, look for Apple to shake up its iPhone release schedule in a big way, with two big waves: The usual September timeframe for the flashy high-end models, and then late winter or early spring for the more affordable iPhones. September 2026: Expect the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Ultra to be announced in September, MacRumors reports. But the latest rumor suggests the foldable could have a later pre-order date than the iPhone 18 lineup due to "limited early production." March 2027: The iPhone 18e, like its predecessor, will likely be released in the first quarter of 2027. Here's where Apple is getting out of character: the base iPhone 18 will also likely be released at the same time, MacRumors says. That's a departure from Apple's usual release schedule, as it's historically become available at the same time as the Pro models. Lastly, the aforementioned iPhone Air 2 is expected to ship at this time, too. iPhone 18 and iPhone Fold pricing The tech industry as a whole is suffering from unprecedented price increases on memory and storage components thanks to a huge spike in demand related to the construction of AI data centers. Apple CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal "We've been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable." Less than a week later, Apple sharply increased prices on iPads and Macs: MacBook Air: Up $200 to $1,299 MacBook Pro: Up $400 to $1,999 MacBook Neo: Up $100 to $699 iPad A16: Up $100 to $449 iPad Air: Up $150 to $749 iPad Pro: Up $200 to $1,199 Apple hasn't announced price hikes yet on iPhones, but the consensus seems to be that those will be coming soon as well. The only question seems to be if Apple will pull the trigger this summer, or wait for the new models in September. Trying to predict pricing on unannounced products is always a wild card, this year more so than ever. Apple can go to the moon on the price of the foldable iPhone, since it's brand-new and cutting-edge. Indeed, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says it'll "cross the $2,000 threshold." He didn't specify if that was the starting price, but that's nearly $1,000 more than the iPhone 17 Pro models with 256 GB. In comparison, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 starts at $1,100 (though it's currently on sale for $900) and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold starts at $1,799 (on sale for $1,499). As for the rest of the line, it's anyone's guess. The WSJ estimates that the new iPhone Pro could cost closer to $1,299, up from the current $1,099 starting point. If that same 18% price increase hits the other models in the line, we could be looking at closer to $2,200 to $2,500 for the iPhone Ultra. Will Apple keep the price hikes focused on the high-end foldable, Pro and Air models, but leave the baseline iPhone 18 and 18e closer to their equivalent $799 and $599 prices? Only time will tell. But Cook didn't sound optimistic when quoted in the Journal: "I've never seen anything like it in any area in over 40 years." What Apple products are coming in 2027? Apple is working on a set of camera-equipped AirPods, Gurman reports. However, he notes they won't be intended to take photos and videos, but instead they'll be used to "feed visual context into Siri." The new smart earbuds are expected to be ready in late 2027. Gurman also notes Apple is working on an upgraded iPad Pro line, with four models expected to debut in spring of 2027. They're expected to keep the current iPad display sizes of 11- and 13-inch displays. And a "revamped" entry-level" MacBook Pro, with a 14-inch display and possibly a touch screen is planned for early next year, Gurman adds. Included in that launch is a next-gen foldable (could it be the Ultra 2?) and a new iPhone model marking its 20th anniversary. Gurman's sources said these will be the "biggest wave of new products yet." The new iPhone will have a nearly edge-to-edge display and curved glass that wraps around the sides.
Source: Yahoo Tech