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Foldable iPhone 'Ultra' Rumored to Launch in Just Two Colors

satchmo said:
Will this be Apple Pencil compatable?

I mean it's effectively the size of an iPad mini.
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I doubt it. Apple has been taking some ques from Samsung's foldables, and The Z Fold 7 dropped S-pen support that was on the 6, supposedly to make the device thinner (though other brands have figured out how to keep it just as thin and have both inner and outer screen pencil support). I really miss the S-pen with my Fold 7. If Apple is rumored to remove Magsafe on the Ultra, I'm guessing we won't be getting pencil usage.
 
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HouseLannister said:
I am fine with two colors, but no black? When people called Apple boring about colors, they didn't mean for you to get rid of black. Every product should be in black. It goes with everything.
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I agree, if you aren’t going to offer colors then you shouldn’t offer colors. Neutrals only.

I would argue that they’ve completely missed the boat on the AirPods Max colors because there is now no neutral color. Gen 1 had Silver and Space Grey options and they got rid of both. Midnight is not neutral
 
lazyrighteye said:
This is the one thing of which I've not yet heard/read/seen any mention - which seem odd.

For years, I was aligned with Steve's sentiment around [paraphrasing] not needing a separate stylus when you have several on each hand. But Pencil 2 + iPad mini 6 completely, and instantly, changed my whole perspective. Also completely redefined/enhanced my workflow. While it would seem a miss if iPhone Ultra didn't offer Pencil support, I'm not sure it's as slam dunk as I might want to believe. I'm guessing IF (and that's a big IF*) it does offer Pencil support, it will require an Ultra-specific Pencil for a least a couple fo reasons - 1) new revenue stream. 2) so it fits/easily travels with Ultra (i.e - does it connect/charge magnetically?). I'm super interested to see where Ultra lands on Pencil support.


* my money says it will not offer Pencil support - at least in v1.
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Yeah, I’m not 100% convinced it’s happening either given Apple’s penchant to having you to spend more for a separate iPad and pencil. That said, if this thing is coming in at $2K+, they might need to add some features to entice users.

Then there are challenges of attaching/storing/charging a stylus to a phone. Magnetically might be too prone to it falling off. So do they make one that slides into the iPhone, or does that look too much like a Samsung S Pen (of course Apple did have a similar a stylus holder in the Apple Newton).
 
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satchmo said:
Yeah, I’m not 100% convinced it’s happening either given Apple’s penchant to having you to spend more for a separate iPad and pencil. That said, if this thing is coming in at $2K+, they might need to add some features to entice users.

Then there are challenges of attaching/storing/charging a stylus to a phone. Magnetically might be too prone to it falling off. So do they make one that slides into the iPhone, or does that look too much like a Samsung S Pen (of course Apple did have a similar a stylus holder in the Apple Newton).
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Yeah... The two aspects about which I'm most curious with regard to this fictitious Pencil Ultra (for now, let's just go with that name), is attaching/charging/pairing and it's Pencil dimensions.

Attaching/Charging/Pairing
I love magnets. I love the way my Pencil 2 magnetically connects/chargers/pairs with my iPad mini 6. It's perfection. The connection is somehow both strong enough for safe travels and light enough to easily remove. It's one of their more magical implementations. I'm curious how Apple could approach this magnetic connectivity in a foldable. Is it as "simple" as thinner magnets in the super thins sides of the unfolded iPhone Ultra that, when closed, offers enough surface area to adequately offer magnetic attaching/changing/paring? I would think they will want to figure out some way to connect ther two devices. But if they don't, I can fully see them positions the act they don't connect as somehow better. 😜

Pencil Dimensions
The flat side of Pencil 2 is the same width (or very close) as iPad mini 6. It works so well in that scenario (for reasons mentioned above). How thick/thin, long/short would Pencil Ultra be? Will it need to have both a smaller diameter to accommodate the thickness of a closed iPhones Ultra and a shorter length (than Pencil 2) to accommodate the longest side of a closed iPhone Ultra? The one aspect in which I'm pretty confident? There is zero chance Pencil Ultra will slide into iPhone Ultra (ala some other solutions out there). No way.

It is for those two aspects above, that I'm inclined to believe iPhone Ultra will not launch with Pencil support.
It's the potential new revenue stream of Pencil Ultra users, that may prove too impossible for Apple to ignore. If so, you can bet we'll see an iPhone Ultra-specific Pencil.
 
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While it is a little surprising that it might not come in black I don't have a problem with that. Every color gets put on the shelf eventually for a break (Red, Gold, etc.).
 
Excited to see this thing finally launch. There’s no way in heck I’ll be buying one (or could justify spending the $$) but it’s very entertaining!
 
Not surprised to hear this. Was expecting this to happen. In fact maybe the 20th anniversary iPhone too might come only in black/grey and silver/white. Think with new form factors, Apple will have limited color choices.
 
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MacRumors said:


Apple's first foldable iPhone, expected to be called the "iPhone Ultra," is shaping up to launch with a noticeably restrained selection of colors, according to multiple leakers, with sources pointing to as few as two options and a deliberate avoidance of bold or vibrant finishes for the device.

Apple-Foldable-Thumb.jpg

In February, the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital" shared a broader account of the foldable iPhone's design, describing it with just two color options, with white as the only "confirmed" shade at the time. The leaker did not reveal the second option. Instant Digital revisited their February report earlier this month without walking back any color details, keeping the two-option account intact.

More recently, Macworld cited a supply chain source to provide new details about the foldable's color options: a classic silver and white model, and an indigo option described as similar to the iPhone 17 Pro's Deep Blue finish. The same source said the device will offer fewer choices than the iPhone 18 Pro models, with no bold or vibrant colors.

The approach is reminiscent of the iPhone X, which similarly launched in just two colors, Silver and Space Gray, when it debuted in November 2017 at a then record starting price of $999. Like the foldable iPhone, the iPhone X was a generational leap that introduced an entirely new design language. The iPhone XS that followed a year later added Gold to the lineup, suggesting Apple may take the same approach with the iPhone Ultra over time.

A limited color offering may also be a practical consequence of the device's constrained production outlook. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo warned that early-stage yield and ramp-up challenges could mean smooth shipments may not occur until 2027, with potential shortages lasting through at least the end of 2026. Kuo also clarified that the frequently cited order figure of 15 to 20 million foldable iPhones likely reflects cumulative demand across the product's full two to three year lifecycle, rather than 2026 alone, suggesting that annual volumes will be modest.

Developing and manufacturing each additional color variant adds complexity and cost to an already challenging production process, as well as additional SKUs to stock. With the device expected to be in short supply at launch regardless, there is little commercial incentive for Apple to broaden the initial color palette. At a starting price that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says will "cross the $2,000 threshold," the iPhone Ultra is also unlikely to attract the kind of buyer who might be swayed by a wider color range, making the calculation even simpler.

The iPhone Ultra is expected to be announced in September 2026 alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Article Link: Foldable iPhone 'Ultra' Rumored to Launch in Just Two Colors
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I would like the option of having both colors on it, please. Then I can just turn it over when I get tired of one color. That would be innovation.
 
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