Apple's foldable iPhone Ultra leaks in new mockup photos — here's what they show

Apple's first foldable phone is expected to arrive in September, and a new mockup shared by well-known leaker Sonny Dickson gives the clearest look yet at its design. The device — likely called iPhone Ultra — shows a front-facing camera sitting visibly in the top-left corner of the screen. Earlier speculation had placed both the camera and Face ID sensor under the display, but that idea now appears to be off the table.

The trade-offs

Fitting an under-display camera system would have been expensive and technically difficult, so Apple apparently dropped it. Face ID is gone entirely. In its place, the iPhone Ultra uses a Touch ID fingerprint scanner built into the side button — the same approach Apple has used on certain iPad models. It's a clear trade-off: thinness and cost over biometric flagship status, and a notable difference from Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold line, which offers both face and fingerprint unlock.

The rear camera system has just two sensors, which is fewer than most current flagship iPhones. Dickson's mockups are also only available in white, and he believes that may be the only color at launch — a significant limitation if accurate, given that Samsung and Google both ship their foldables in multiple colorways from day one.

The specs and the risk

Previous leaks point to a 5.5-inch external display and a 7.8-inch internal panel that unfolds to a 4:3 aspect ratio — closer to a tablet than a widescreen. An Apple A20 Pro chip is expected inside, along with a 5,500–5,800 mAh battery.

The headline engineering story is the hinge. Apple is using liquid metal — an amorphous alloy that is stronger and more scratch-resistant than conventional titanium — supplied exclusively by Dongguan EonTec. MacRumors reported in June that prototypes have been shipped to carriers and that hinge development is now "resolved," walking back earlier reliability doubts. Still, conflicting claims from other sources mean the manufacturing risk hasn't fully disappeared.

The price

Tom's Guide puts the starting price at around $1,999 for the 256 GB model, rising to roughly $2,399 for 1 TB. That lands it directly against the Galaxy Z Fold 8 at $1,999 — meaning Apple gets no pricing cushion in this fight. Whether iOS 27's multitasking improvements can close the software maturity gap with Samsung's DeX will matter just as much as the hardware when it ships.