Gurman: iPhone Ultra Wows Early Testers, Except for Its Camera

[Padre_Pio]

I just bought a 16 inch M5 MacBook Pro for less money that this will cost. I was hoping there'd be a point where people would say, "this far and no further," but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

I’m waiting for the iPhone Origami Pro Ultra Max.

The Blade Runner edition?

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I don’t understand the point of a folding
phone with their current limitations - too thick, fragile, camera, lack of Face ID, and price. I use my phone when I’m out and my Mac or iPad when I’m home.

Seems like a massive compromise for a slightly larger screen (but still way to small to get things done).

4 .5mm is too thick? Even folded, that’s only 9 mm, where is the iPhone Pro is 8.75.

 

[sherwinzadeh]

Can't wait. I played around with the Samsung Galaxy Fold8 and it's way better than I expected. The internal display actually feels hard and glass-like, which is not something I see mentioned in any reviews. To me the biggest drawback to foldablables so far has been that flimsy scratchable inner display -- even more than the "dent" everyone obsesses about. If Apple equals or exceeds this then it's really going to be a quality product. Of course iOS will make it way better than anything Samsung is doing.

 

[juju90]

The asymmetry still gets me. The Z Fold 8 looks much better. But, I'll likely buy this anyway.

Just wait until its officialy unveiled & you put your paws on it 😌

 

[britboyj]

As someone who bought and gave up on an iPhone Air, I can guarantee you you WILL miss the camera features.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

Thinking of getting this myself. I like the idea of using it as an ebook reader and a phone in one. Time will tell how much it'll cost in the UK though.

Or when it’ll be available. If US consumers soak up the first couple batches, it may be next year until it’s there.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

4 .5mm is too thick? Even folded, that’s only 9 mm, where is the iPhone Pro is 8.75.

In today’s world, 4.5mm is too thick and anything over 200g is like a brick. 🙂

 

[Unregistered 4U]

These would be the same early testers that told him nothing about the info that dropped in the macOS 27 release, but they opened up specifically about this. 🙂

 

[rjsmith2007]

Fold8 honestly looks better with its symmetry. Can't believe Apple went with the Google Pixel approach

I constantly have false touches from my palms on the Fold 8 when typing. The rounded corners on the iPhone screen will help with reducing that and also improve reach.

 

[mgymnop]

I don't need my phone for productivity, video or gaming. I pass.

 

[culex]

I could live with Touch ID, but not having full MagSafe support—as earlier rumors claimed—would actually be a dealbreaker for me in everyday use. We'll see in a few days.

 

[Macalway]

Can't wait. I played around with the Samsung Galaxy Fold8 and it's way better than I expected. The internal display actually feels hard and glass-like, which is not something I see mentioned in any reviews.

They improved it. I briefly had the Fold6 but sold it ( 7 wasn't that much better, as I recall). I looked at the 8 and would have bought that had the Apple version not been right around the corner.

I'm not sure if Apple actually played a part in the refinement of the Z, but it's not inconceivable, even though it's the 8th version. There's the shape....

 

[joefrank64k]

I could live with Touch ID, but not having full MagSafe support—as earlier rumors claimed—would actually be a dealbreaker for me in everyday use. We'll see in a few days.

The Fold 8 I'm using has wireless bi-directional charging.

Hopefully Apple can find room for some magnets!!

 

[DBR2025]

The second generation will probably be the one to buy

I was thinking the forth generation will probably be the one to buy

 

[DBR2025]

I don’t understand the point of a folding
phone with their current limitations - too thick, fragile, camera, lack of Face ID, and price. I use my phone when I’m out and my Mac or iPad when I’m home.

Seems like a massive compromise for a slightly larger screen (but still way to small to get things done).

Getting things done on your phone. Oh yeah, endlessly scrolling instagram. lol. Classic

 

[tipoo]

What does it mean for the "Durability" to impress early hands on testers?

The way Gurman writes is so annoyingly vague and later-deniable

 

[klasma]

Have you ever seen idiots taking pictures with 13" iPad Pros? I had.

Strange, I’ve only seen smart people do that. 😉

 

[klasma]

it will be funny to see an actual movie playing on this size. enjoy those black bars.

You still get a significantly bigger picture, and the slab iPhone has bars on the sides as well:

 

[Zerlina]

let me guess Marques Brownlee aka MKBHD was one of them

 

[iMac The Knife]

I constantly have false touches from my palms on the Fold 8 when typing. The rounded corners on the iPhone screen will help with reducing that and also improve reach.

I've owned the Z Fold 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and now the 8...among others, and I've never had an issue with false touches from my palms on any of them. I mean this with all due respect, you're doing it wrong.

 

[thecautioners]

I’m so bothered by the fact that this isn’t an insta buy for me 😂😭

I upgrade my Pro Max every year for the camera alone (and shiny new toys are fun, I just pay tax and trade my previous year model into tmobile, and iPhone Release Day is my favorite holiday). Without the telephoto, this is unfortunately useless to me and I’m not happy about it lol

I’ll be waiting very impatiently for Apple to throw the Pro camera into these bad bois some year soon. Until then, I gotta stick with the PM… and my usual release day shenanigans here on MR this year will be elevated by seeing all your origami iPhones while I wait on the Big Brown Truck to roll up with my old news 18PM 🙂

 

[iMac The Knife]

I’m so bothered by the fact that this isn’t an insta buy for me 😂😭

I upgrade my Pro Max every year for the camera alone (and shiny new toys are fun, I just pay tax and trade my previous year model into tmobile, and iPhone Release Day is my favorite holiday). Without the telephoto, this is unfortunately useless to me and I’m not happy about it lol

I’ll be waiting very impatiently for Apple to throw the Pro camera into these bad bois some year soon. Until then, I gotta stick with the PM… and my usual release day shenanigans here on MR this year will be elevated by seeing all your origami iPhones while I wait on the Big Brown Truck to roll up with my old news 18PM 🙂

Honest question, do you make a living from the photos you take from your iPhone?

 

[iMac The Knife]

I just bought a 16 inch M5 MacBook Pro for less money that this will cost. I was hoping there'd be a point where people would say, "this far and no further," but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.

 

[teaneedz]

You still get a significantly bigger picture, and the slab iPhone has bars on the sides as well:

View attachment 2655114

Your comparison video is likely 16:9 YouTube content, not a film. Movies run 2.39:1 or 1.85:1 — wider than either phone’s screen — so they letterbox on both, and my 17 Pro fills edge to edge with barely or generally zero bar since it’s already close to cinemascope width. The Fold’s boxy 4:3 screen actually eats more bar proportionally on a real film, it just wins on raw size. i expect the ultra will have more bar.