Apple insider reveals 'dealbreaker' feature that might stop you from buying folding iPhone Ultra
Apple is already soaring high while its rivals are apparently stumbling in the smartphone market, but could 2026 really be a record-breaking year for the fruit-named tech giant? Alongside the expected release of the iPhone 18 lineup, that long-rumored folding iPhone could finally be on the horizon.
While Apple and Samsung continue to duke it out as smartphone giants, we're at that time of the year when the former gets a massive boost to its sales. September 9 is the date of this year's keynote, with all signs pointing toward the release of the folding iPhone Ultra.
Leaks have ramped up, with Vodafone Egypt even spoiling a potential $2,000 price tag. Apparently, this bank-busting cost isn't the main thing that could be putting people off.
What is the iPhone Ultra's 'dealbreaker' feature that could put customers off?
Despite the iPhone Ultra undoubtedly being one of the most technologically advanced phones in recent memory, that doesn't mean it's got everything. After all, that would be impossible
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Speaking to Tom's Guide, Apple insider Mark Gurman explained how a lack of one key photographic feature could be a deciding factor in some people not stumping up for the iPhone Ultra.
"I think the telephoto is a dealbreaker for some in the sense that there is an overlap on that Venn diagram of consumers who want the very best stuff from Apple and the consumers who want to use features like a telephoto lens."
"But I think at the end of the day, most people within that bucket will probably still veer towards the foldable phone."
After debunking the idea that MagSafe charging will be MIA in the iPhone Ultra, Gurman has doubled down on rumors that a telephoto lens will be sitting this one out.
Saved for premium models like the Pro and Pro Max, telephoto lenses act like a tiny pair of binoculars that are built into your phone's camera.
Unlike a standard digital zoom stretching and pixelating an image, telephoto lenses use physical optics to enlarge an image.
Considering the iPhone Ultra will almost definitely be the most expensive iPhone ever sold at launch, photography nuts might expect a bit more.
What advantages could the iPhone Ultra have over the Galaxy Z Fold8?
Lens gripes aside, the iPhone Ultra could have a huge advantage over the Galaxy Z Fold8 in terms of durability. Part of the reason it's thought Samsung got its first folding phone out in 2019, and Apple is so far behind, is because the latter was struggling with its own hinge tech.
According to Gurman, the Ultra will make use of a Liquid Metal hinge that features a teardrop internal cavity to help reduce mechanical strain. Even though that infamous crease is unlikely to be completely gone, the Ultra should be the most crease-free phone on the market.
Saying Apple has gotten close to cracking the problem (no pun intended), he cheered: "If you've used a 17 Pro Max or iPhone Air, you know how durable those phones are. And so the spec for Apple was to make the foldable phone as durable — or at least close to it — as any other iPhone. And that's one of the things that they've spent a lot of time working on: the durability.”
Apps are another apparent win, with even the Z Fold8 supposedly feeling a little 'stretched', whereas the Ultra's reported 7.8-inch main screen will feel like an iPad Mini that can run multiple apps at once.
Gurman is also excited about the idea of gaming on the go, so imagine booting up GTA V on your iPhone Ultra.
Despite all of the above, Gurman seems a little reserved on the Ultra, calling it the "ultimate flex, the ultimate status symbol phone." With all likely becoming clear on September 9, there isn't long to wait until we'll know exactly what the folding iPhone does and doesn't have.