Apple is preparing to release its long-rumored foldable iPhone, codenamed iPhone Ultra, alongside the iPhone 18 series in September 2026. The device features a book-style passport design, advanced hinge engineering, and dual batteries, entering a competitive market as Samsung launches rival foldable hardware.
The race to define the next generation of mobile hardware is accelerating as Apple approaches a pivotal launch window to introduce its first-ever foldable. Supply-chain reports indicate that Apple’s upcoming foldable device, widely referred to as the iPhone Ultra, is slated for a September 2026 debut alongside the broader iPhone 18 lineup, according to recent supply-chain updates.
Yet the timeline remains subject to intense speculation. While initial mass production reportedly began earlier in July with manufacturing partner Foxconn, industry observers point to potential final-stage adjustments that could test Apple’s aggressive release schedule. Foxconn is carrying out “final…” mass-production adjustments, serving as the primary manufacturing partner to meet expected production targets, according to DigiTimes sources. It remains unclear whether that production target means the full 10 million units Apple has reportedly ordered, or simply enough to satisfy demand during the initial release window.
Book-Style Form Factor and Dual-Battery Architecture in iOS 27
Foxconn and DigiTimes Sources Detail Production Target
Unlike compact flip-phone designs, multiple leaks point to a book-style foldable with a large, tablet-like internal display. This “passport-style” design will appear noticeably squarer than a traditional iPhone when closed. When unfolded, it’s rumored to resemble an iPad mini-like screen with a 4:3 aspect ratio, offering a more expansive viewing experience. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in 2025 that Apple’s foldable will adopt a dual-display setup, with a strong focus on achieving a near crease-free screen when opened. Other 2025 leaks, including reports from Digital Chat Station on Weibo, also point to a vertical, book-style fold where the left and right sides close together – similar to devices like the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold. Dummy models shared by Sonny Dickson on X in April 2026 demonstrate this book-like form factor, and additional dummy unit images from tech YouTuber Vadim Yuryev further reinforce this wide, book-like design of the iPhone Ultra.
Ming-Chi Kuo and Digital Chat Station Report Dual-Display Setup
Hardware hints within software code further substantiate the device’s physical layout. The fourth developer beta of iOS 27 includes references to an iPhone with two batteries, according to Macworld, mentioning multiple internal batteries instead of a single battery. MacRumors confirmed the mentions are in the beta. Foldable smartphones typically have two batteries, with one located in each half of the device, and Apple is likely to use the same design. Prior rumors suggest the iPhone Ultra will use two battery cells with 1,921mAh and 2,962mAh capacities for a total of 4,883mAh. The iOS 27 strings suggest the batteries in the iPhone Ultra could be serviceable separately, so a single failing cell could be swapped on its own, and an option to replace a single degraded cell could lower repair costs.
Samsung’s London Unpacked Event and Competitive Pressures
Samsung Electronics Co. to Host Galaxy Unpacked Event
The competitive landscape is shifting rapidly as established foldable pioneers move to counter Apple’s impending entry. Samsung Electronics Co. will host its next Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22 in London, according to an invite that Samsung sent to media on Tuesday. During its presentation, the company is expected to unveil a Galaxy Z Fold 8 with a shorter and wider design that resembles Apple Inc.’s planned folding iPhone. Samsung is expected to introduce a slate of devices likely to include three foldable phones, introducing incremental successors to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which unfolds like a book, and the clamshell-style Galaxy Z Flip 7, alongside a shorter, passport-shaped variant of the Fold 8 added to the lineup as a third option. By adding a device that’s shorter and wider, Samsung will offer a form factor that’s more immersive when watching videos and better for some multitasking workflows, alongside wearables such as a smartwatch and clip-on wireless earbuds. With an announcement in late July, Samsung is aiming to steal at least some momentum from Apple, which is set to introduce its first-ever foldable later this year under John Ternus, who will become Apple’s next chief executive officer in September.
Apple is set to unleash the new iPhone 18 series on September 9 (2026), and this time the series might come with more than five variants, including the iPhone 18, iPhone Ultra, and iPhone 18 Pro Max, along with a foldable device, though insiders are also zeroing in on September 8 for the announcement. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman stated that Apple has almost always picked the first Tuesday or Wednesday after Labour Day for its iPhone events to help get phones into stores by mid-September. Meanwhile, Forbes points out Apple might bump the event to September 14 if production runs into any hiccups.
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