5 iPhone Pro features that may not appear on the folding iPhone
There is no telephoto camera
Leaked images from some models show that the folding iPhone, most likely named Ultra, only has a dual camera cluster on the back, including a main sensor and a 48-megapixel ultra-wide angle, similar to the configuration on the standard iPhone 17 series.
According to Apple Insider, the reason Apple skipped the optical zoom lens is the device's thinness. When opened, the thickness of the device is only about 4.5 mm, not enough space inside to arrange a complex periscope lens system. In addition, prioritizing the area for the battery, processor chip and cooling system also causes the camera cluster to be reduced.
Face ID is not supported
The familiar 3D TrueDepth facial recognition system on the high-end iPhone line is expected to be absent on the iPhone Ultra. The reason continues to lie in the thinness of the edges and body, and not enough space to accommodate the 3D sensor.
Instead, Apple may bring back Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology, integrated directly into the power button on the side, similar to the solution being applied on the iPad mini.
Remove the physical SIM tray
Similar to the iPhone Air, the iPhone Ultra is expected to no longer have a physical SIM tray in all markets and will only support eSIM.
This decision helps save component space, a core element for an ultra-thin folding device, but may limit the device's availability in some countries that still require a physical SIM for legal or network infrastructure reasons.
Lacks broadband 5G mmWave connectivity
iPhone Ultra is expected to be equipped with a C2 modem developed by Apple to reduce dependence on Qualcomm. However, this chip does not currently support the high-speed 5G mmWave band.
While the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max still use Qualcomm modems to maintain mmWave connectivity in the US market, iPhone Ultra users can only access 5G networks in the Sub-6GHz frequency band.
Remove Action button
Test models that have appeared recently also show that the left side of the iPhone Ultra is completely empty, without the traditional Action button and volume lever. The volume control button is moved to the top edge, while the power button and Camera Control are placed on the right edge.
PhoneArena quoted a supply chain source as saying that this design choice comes from the fact that the device's motherboard is placed entirely on the right half. To avoid routing cables across the folding hinge, which increases the risk of damage over time. Apple decided to gather all the buttons to one side and cut down on the Action key.
Despite lacking some hardware features, iPhone Ultra is still expected to bring a breakthrough experience in terms of display space and design. Apple plans to announce its first folding phone with the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max duo at the "Surprise and Shine" event on September 9.