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Foldable 'iPhone Ultra' Could Be Missing These 5 Key Features Despite $2,000 Price Tag

mrr said:
I hope this supports the Apple Pencil.
Click to expand...
This might be too copy-cat for the innovators at Apple but a folding "Moleskine" iPhone with an integrated stylus seems like such a no-brainer. My left pocket has had my phone along with one of those small "Field Notes" pads for as long as I can remember. Jobs would be rolling in his grave, but hey, there will soon be a new sheriff in town. We do live in strange and terrifying times...
 
Do visionless AI write this stuff or what?

MacRumors said:
Both sets of dummy models show that the volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the right, similar to the iPad mini. ...
....

While a power button and volume buttons in their new location are clearly visible on the dummy models, the Action button is curiously missing. This suggests that the iPhone Ultra will be the first iPhone model with no Action button or silent switch. Apple introduced the Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro as a replacement for the silent switch, and it has since come to every available iPhone model.



foldable-iphone-dummy-model.jpg


Image via Vadim Yuryev.​




The iPhone Ultra is believed to be too thin to accommodate Apple's TrueDepth camera array, which is required for Face ID authentication and now located in the Dynamic Island. As a result, Apple is expected to revert to Touch ID on the device. The last iPhone to feature Touch ID was 2022's iPhone SE 3, where it was part of the device's budget offering. The last flagship iPhone with Touch ID was 2016's iPhone 7, so the return of Touch ID as the sole method of authentication on what will be the highest-end iPhone will be unprecedented.
....​

Previous rumors indicate that the iPhone Ultra will also not have a SIM card slot, again just like the iPhone Air, being compatible with eSIM only. As a result, the iPhone Ultra could be missing the following features:
Click to expand...

No SIM card slot. So what is the button on the lower 'right' side photo suppose to be? Volume up/Down on top. And 'right' hand side (when closed and cameras facing away from user ) has two more buttons?

If that lower cutout there was a stand in for a SIM card slot then would have run out of places to put a fourth button. But there is no card slot. So what does that 'button'

if the other 'dummy' model doesn't have one then more so have a conflict between competing 'dummies'; not some consensus on a missing button.


P.S. All really need is a multi-role button. Then it does whatever action you want ( camera, fav AI chat bot , etc.)
A dedicated camera button when pragmatically loosing a side to the hinge doesn't really make much sense at all.
 
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FaceID: Makes sense on a foldable, buying for screen real estate, don’t want holes in all my screens. And just one one the front means passcode or touchID when open.
Telephoto: Only thing I miss on my iPhone Air, could be deal breaker.
MagSafe: everything I uses charges with MagSafe, car mount, HotTub mount everything, this is deal breaker.
Action Button: I like this, but only use it for flashlight, but use it a lot.
SIM card: really don’t care.

I was looking forward to being an early adopter and complaining about things, others can’t. But I’m now having to convince myself not to buy this, if these rumors are true.
 
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Something tells me no Apple Pencil support, they don’t want to cut into iPad sales smh

Also no control button makes this device far less utilitarian as using action button for flashlight activation turns the iPhone from a mere digital device to a true resourceful tool for real world application!….
 
No MagSafe is oddly kind of a deal-breaker for me, and something I hadn't considered would be missing. I have a bunch of wireless chargers, stands and battery packs, and not being able to use them seems very inconvenient. I don't want to alter and dumb-down how I use my phone just for the newest tech.
 
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Runaway Train said:
Yep, a big, thick, ugly, late-to-market, overpriced phone ….

Waiting for … »can’t innovate my ass! »
Click to expand...
I feel like it would definitely innovate one's ass if one had it in a back pocket!

As for these missing features, I feel like face ID is the biggest loss. It is such awesome tech and takes away a lot of hassle, as well as being far more reliable than touch ID. I love that Windows is using Hello for more and more authentication stuff, and was surprised to find Apple doesn't have an equivalent on the Mac side. It is certainly one thing that would still make me interested in an iPhone, but I really dislike the ways they've gone with iOS, and of course camera protrusions, so we're definitely not there yet!
 
gaximus said:
FaceID: Makes sense on a foldable, buying for screen real estate, don’t want holes in all my screens. And just one one the front means passcode or touchID when open.
Click to expand...

If were willing to use a bezel they wouldn't have to loose any screen real estate at all. This is mainly just bowing to the 'bezels are evil' crowd. Probably could reduce rear camera protrusion a bit also.

If Face ID camera is on inside screen then it is covered when closed. If Face ID is only on outside and can't use when in open mode. Two Face ID is goofy. The more simple solution is to just one one in both contexts ( both open and closed).

For example. A flip phone, but the inner screen isn't 100% as the base it folds into.

Motorola_Razr_V3_montage_closed_open.png


Rotate that base 'bezel' to the top and put the Face ID , buttons , and other stuff there and have more internal room because could take full thickness of the folded phone for an interior.

I suspect internal to Apple the spin is magical under screen face ID eventually solves this and a more complicated/expensive two Face ID set up ( so just start the higher prices now).

gaximus said:
MagSafe: everything I uses charges with MagSafe, car mount, HotTub mount everything, this is deal breaker.
Click to expand...
is this going to fit on most mag safe charges. If bring a thicker camera bump closer are you going to get a good contact at the upper 1/4 of the circle near the bump?



gaximus said:
Action Button: I like this, but only use it for flashlight, but use it a lot.
Click to expand...

More likely loosing 'camera' button than an multiple action (set it to what you want) button. I think these mocks and write ups are being lazy and low imagination of moving action button to 'other' side. All really need in one multiple function button.

People who mostly like cameras can set it to be that. Folks who want flashlight can set it that one. Only need one of those. "rapid double click" and get a secondary and/or short list menu. A whole side is being lost to the hinge. 5+ buttons is 'overkill' can afford with lots of space to waste.
 
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I'm looking over the comments. I feel like fellow members don't understand that you can get MagSafe back by just adding a case. I seriously doubt all the people saying no MagSafe is a dealbreaker are all using their iPhones without a case.
 
If the super interested people posting here are saying things like “it’s not a deal breaker” or “I’ll miss feature X but I’ll live without it” the chance for the first edition of this device to find any mass appeal is nill.

The people who really want a folding iPhone. The people waiting with bated breath for this will buy it no matter what.

The Joe blow looking at phones is gonna see less camera, fewer features, costs more. Those people are gonna get a PM and not an “ultra” that has a less than ultra feature set.

It’s looking like leaning more towards a flop than a niche product at this point.
 
I think Apple missed a chance to do genuine innovation here. The biggest reason people want to buy a foldable phone is screen size.
* A bigger screen is very handy to have around when you are using mapping.
* So they should have made it an accessory, just a folding screen with no wires.
Here's how it works: you open it up. Like CarPlay, it displays stuff from your iPhone.
* And you can interact with it seamlessly - just like if it was a phone, but it's super-slim.
* You want to have a camera for FaceTime.
* But no external camera - that comes with your regular iPhone.
* Also, make it work as a secondary screen for an iPad, a Mac.
 
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JohnnyQuest said:
No MagSafe is oddly kind of a deal-breaker for me, and something I hadn't considered would be missing. I have a bunch of wireless chargers, stands and battery packs, and not being able to use them seems very inconvenient.
Click to expand...

Would the stands even work if it was present. Go back and look at the "mock up" designs here. The distance from the bottom of the iPhone 18 models to the bottom of the MagSafe magnetic circle is portionally a large fraction of the total length of the backside of the Fold. Being much shorter means would have to place the mag safe circle relatively higher on the device so would be in same relative place as on the taller phones.


Only can't do that because would run into the camera bump. The vast majority of stands have some substantial dimension assumptions built into them. Similar with battery packs that try to fill the most space (the distance between charging coil and bottom end of phone will be smaller. ).

In contrast, the 12/13 Mini would place the MagSafe in about the same spot in the stand. The cameras bumps move farther up in the full size models because they are taller. Opposite action here with larger camera bump getting closer to the magnet circle.

It wouldn't be too surprising if there was perhaps still Qi2 charging here, but just not magsafe (they are not the same thing). Still will be induction coil/ring misalignment but for larger/smaller pads that meant to deal with wider variety of phones still would work. But a far amount of magsafe stuff has iphone has 'x,y,z' dimensions built into them that got snap-shotted in about the iPhone 12 era. Can make 'taller than iPhone 12 mini' models, but shorter is a violation.
 
chars1ub0w said:
I think Apple missed a chance to do genuine innovation here. The biggest reason people want to buy a foldable phone is screen size.
* A bigger screen is very handy to have around when you are using mapping.
* So they should have made it an accessory, just a folding screen with no wires.
Here's how it works: you open it up. Like CarPlay, it displays stuff from your iPhone.
* And you can interact with it seamlessly - just like if it was a phone, but it's super-slim.
* You want to have a camera for FaceTime.
* But no external camera - that comes with your regular iPhone.
* Also, make it work as a secondary screen for an iPad, a Mac.
Click to expand...

Why would it need to fold if it is primarily just a bigger screen? A fully functional iPad Mini is $499. Put a cover on it and the screen is protected. Hotspot connect it to iPhone and have wireless data.

They could make it cheaper by making the iPad 'dumber'. Just a mirror, external monitor for iPhone. But that really isn't the market they are going after here. At $2+K this is more expensive than a iPhone Air + iPad Mini combo. They are mainly after folks who only want to carry just one device. Another external device would be more than one.

And iPhones can already drive an external monitor plugged in.

Connect iPhone to a display with a cable

With the appropriate cable or adapter, connect your iPhone to a display, like a TV, projector, or computer monitor.
support.apple.com support.apple.com

That isn't 'new' and wide range of monitors can hook to already build by 3rd parties.
 
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