Foldable iPhone Ultra May Launch in US First, Months Before Other Countries

Apple's first foldable iPhone, widely expected to be called the iPhone Ultra, may not go on sale in all countries at the same time. According to Australian publication ChannelNews, which cited local carriers and a major retailer in an "exclusive" report, the device will be unveiled alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in September but will initially be available only in the United States.

The report claims that Apple plans a staggered, country-by-country rollout similar to what it did with the Vision Pro headset. After the U.S. launch, the foldable iPhone is expected to reach other key markets, including China, over a period of two to three months. The publication's sources said the delay is due to supply setbacks and "pricing problems." They also alleged that Apple is "having testing issues with production models that have already been built."

This contradicts earlier expectations that the foldable iPhone would follow a more traditional launch schedule. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last month that Apple would announce its first foldable iPhone at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, but that pre-orders for the Ultra would begin at a later date than for the other models. Kuo previously compared the situation to the iPhone X launch, where the device was announced early but went on sale weeks later.

If the ChannelNews report is accurate, the iPhone Ultra will be a "no show" in Australia and other markets when the iPhone 18 Pro models launch in September, despite being revealed together. The exact release dates and pricing for the foldable iPhone Ultra remain unknown, and Apple has not commented on the matter.

The foldable iPhone is expected to be a book-style device, marking Apple's entry into the foldable smartphone segment. The company has been rumored to be working on such a product for years, and the iPhone Ultra name has been floated as the likely branding. Apple has not confirmed any details about the device, its specifications, or its availability.