Early testers of Apple’s first foldable iPhone, rumoured to be called the iPhone Ultra, have praised the device but flagged two missing features: it has no telephoto lens and no Face ID. The feedback comes from Mark Gurman, a reporter at Bloomberg, who spoke with people who have used the phone ahead of Apple’s September launch event.
Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone 18 line at that event, alongside the foldable model. Gurman, who covers Apple for Bloomberg, said he “couldn’t be more excited” after hearing what the testers had to say.
What do testers like about the iPhone Ultra?
Testers told Gurman they like that the phone folds down to pocket size. When opened, the inner display sits just under the size of an iPad mini, and the software feels closer to an iPad thanks to that flexible internal screen.
The hinge drew praise too. Gurman reported that the “feel and durability of the advanced hinge mechanism” went over well, and he noted the phone works as a camera viewfinder.
Why is the camera a problem?
The iPhone Ultra carries only two rear cameras, which means no telephoto lens. That has been rumoured for months, but Gurman now reports testers were let down by it.
He put the price at $2,000 or more, and argued that “the Venn diagram of people willing to spend top dollar on an early-adopter product and those who appreciate advanced camera capabilities — including deeper zoom — is probably pretty close to a circle.” Current iPhone Pro owners looking to upgrade may see the drop from three lenses to two as a step back, and buy the cheaper iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max instead.
Samsung’s foldables have run into the same criticism. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 and the larger Z Fold 8, which matches the rumoured shape and specs of the iPhone Ultra, both shipped with cameras that fell short of Pro and Ultra models from Samsung, Google and Apple.
What happened to Face ID?
The second gap is Face ID. Gurman confirmed a long-running rumour that the phone uses Touch ID to unlock, which reportedly frustrated testers who have grown used to Face ID.
Apple will likely add these features to later models. This is the company’s first foldable phone, and going by its track record it won’t be the last.
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