iPhone Ultra Delayed, Echoes iPhone X Launch Timeline
▼ Summary
– Apple may unveil its foldable iPhone, reportedly named iPhone Ultra, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in 2026, but pre-orders will start later due to manufacturing challenges.
– The foldable iPhone’s launch pattern is compared to the 2017 iPhone X, which was announced with the iPhone 8 series but had pre-orders delayed by six weeks.
– Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimates the foldable iPhone will start at $2,299 to $2,499 in the U.S., and predicts it will sell out immediately with delivery delays of 4-6 weeks.
– Apple’s suppliers are expected to ship 7–8 million foldable iPhones in 2026, significantly fewer than the 20–22 million units for the iPhone 18 Pro models.
– The foldable iPhone may be unveiled in September 2026, but pre-orders likely won’t begin until the fourth quarter of that year, possibly in October or later.
Apple is poised to mirror the rollout strategy of the iPhone X with its upcoming foldable iPhone, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The device, expected to be branded as the iPhone Ultra, will likely be announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, but pre-orders will be delayed until later.
Kuo attributes this staggered release to manufacturing challenges that have constrained early production of the foldable handset. As a result, the iPhone Ultra may not be available for pre-order until the fourth quarter of 2026, echoing the timeline of the iPhone X in 2017. Back then, Apple unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X on September 12. Pre-orders for the iPhone 8 models opened just three days later, while the iPhone X did not accept pre-orders until October 27, a full six weeks after the event.
The analyst estimates the foldable iPhone could carry a starting price between $2,299 and $2,499 in the U. S. He predicts that demand will far outstrip supply, stating the device “could sell out immediately after pre-orders open, with delivery lead times quickly stretching to 4-6 weeks or longer.” Apple’s suppliers are expected to ship roughly 7–8 million foldable iPhones in 2026, a fraction of the 20–22 million units forecast for the iPhone 18 Pro models combined.
If Kuo’s projections hold, consumers should expect the foldable iPhone to be officially revealed in September, but actual ordering opportunities may not arrive until at least October.
(Source: MacRumors)
