--- title: "Apple Prepares Foldable iPhone Ultra: Face ID Dropped, 2-Nanometer A20 Pro, and a Price Starting at $2,000" description: "According to Mark Gurman's report for Bloomberg, Apple is preparing a foldable iPhone Ultra with 5.5-inch and 7.8-inch displays, a 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, and a price starting at $2,000. To achieve a thin body, the company dropped Face ID in favor of Touch ID." date: 2026-08-24T10:16:02.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/apple-iphone-ultra-foldable-smartphone-face-id-removal tags: [apple, iphone-ultra, foldable-smartphone, touch-id, a20-pro, bloomberg] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Apple Prepares Foldable iPhone Ultra: Face ID Dropped, 2-Nanometer A20 Pro, and a Price Starting at $2,000 ![Foldable iPhone Ultra concept in side profile: slim metal body, side buttons and a protruding camera module](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/24/apple-iphone-ultra-sk-adnoy-smartfon-otkaz-ot-face-id/apple-iphone-ultra-sk-adnoy-smartfon-otkaz-ot-face-id-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Apple is preparing a book-style foldable iPhone Ultra with a 5.5" outer screen and a ~7.8" inner screen, 4.5 mm thick when unfolded. - The company dropped Face ID for the sake of a thin body, bringing Touch ID back into the side power button. - The camera is only a dual 2x48 MP system with no telephoto lens; performance is delivered by the 2-nanometer A20 Pro. - The expected price is $2,000 to $2,500; the announcement is set for the September 2026 event alongside the iPhone 18 Pro. According to a report by Mark Gurman for Bloomberg, cited by RBC-Ukraine, Apple is in the final stages of preparing to unveil its foldable smartphone, the iPhone Ultra. The first beta testers, the source says, were "impressed by the ergonomics and durability of the device." The phone is built in a book-style form factor: the outer display has a 5.5-inch diagonal, while the inner folding screen measures around 7.8 inches. The body is just 4.5 mm thick when unfolded and about 9.4 mm when folded, and, according to testers, the device sits comfortably in the hand and fits in a regular pocket. ### Ergonomics, Multitasking, and Performance The inner screen supports iPadOS-style multitasking, allowing several apps to be used simultaneously in a wide format. It is precisely this form factor that makes the new device visually similar to the Samsung Galaxy Fold 8, meaning Apple will no longer be the pioneer in this segment of foldable devices. Performance is handled by the latest 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, and, according to several publications, the hinge is made using liquid metal technology to ensure the longevity of the folding mechanism.### Technical Trade-offs for Record-Thin Design To achieve a record 4.5 mm thickness when unfolded, Apple's engineers made significant compromises. The biggest surprise was the complete abandonment of the Face ID scanner: instead, the company is bringing back Touch ID technology, with the fingerprint sensor embedded directly into the side power button. The second limitation concerns the camera capabilities — the smartphone will feature only a dual camera system of two 48-megapixel modules (main and ultra-wide), with no full telephoto lens for optical zoom. ### Contradictory Reports Sources disagree on the details of the device's public demonstration. Gurman's report and Bloomberg's coverage (including a retelling by rozetked.me) state that the foldable iPhone Ultra has already been tested by Apple's internal staff and beta testers, who "really like it." At the same time, a separate source (hi-tech.mail.ru) reports a video showing the foldable iPhone Ultra "before Apple," which most likely refers to renders or non-concept prototypes rather than an official device. In addition, the starting price in the original report is given in the range of $2,000 to $2,500, while some publications (dgl.ru) cite a lower bound of "from $2,000." There is currently no official confirmation from Apple. ### Price and Market Expectations The starting price of the iPhone Ultra is expected to be between $2,000 and $2,500. Despite the high price tag and a camera system that is simpler than that of regular flagships, analysts believe the new device will become a new flagship benchmark for the entire mobile market. The launch of a foldable smartphone from Apple could boost user interest in this category of devices overall and lift sales of other models from the brand. The official announcement of the flexible iPhone Ultra is expected at the September 2026 event, alongside the flagship iPhone 18 Pro series. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [iPhone Ultra to Be Foldable: Apple Drops Face ID for a Thin Body](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/iphone-ultra-stane-skladanim-apple-pozhertvue-1787561291.html) - Подтверждает складной форм-факт, отказ от Face ID ради тонкого корпуса, параметры экранов и толщину. - [Apple's Foldable iPhone Ultra to Feature a Liquid Metal Hinge and a Price Starting at $2,000](https://www.dgl.ru/technique/smartphones/apple-iphone-ultra-sharnir.html) - Добавляет деталь о шарнире из жидкого металла и нижнюю границу цены от 2000 долларов; не подтверждено Apple. - [Bloomberg: Apple Employees Really Like the Foldable iPhone Ultra](https://rozetked.me/index.php/news/47906-bloomberg-sotrudnikam-apple-ochen-nravitsya-skladnoy-iphone-ultra) - Согласуется с отчётом Гурмана о положительной оценке устройства внутренними тестировщиками. - [Foldable iPhone Ultra Shown in Russia Before Apple (Video)](https://hi-tech.mail.ru/news/153757-v-rossii-pokazali-skladnoj-iphone-ultra-do-apple-video/) - Сообщает о публичном показе устройства до официального анонса; вероятно, речь о рендере или прототипе, что противоречит версии о закрытом бета-тестировании. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: What are the screen sizes of the foldable iPhone Ultra? **A:** According to Gurman's report, the outer display is 5.5 inches, while the inner folding screen is about 7.8 inches. The thickness is 4.5 mm when unfolded and about 9.4 mm when folded. ### Q: Why is there no Face ID on the iPhone Ultra? **A:** To achieve a record 4.5 mm thickness when unfolded, the engineers dropped Face ID and returned to Touch ID: the fingerprint sensor is embedded into the side power button. ### Q: What camera will the iPhone Ultra have? **A:** Only a dual system of two 48-megapixel modules (main and ultra-wide) is expected, with no full telephoto lens for optical zoom. ### Q: How much will the iPhone Ultra cost and when will it be released? **A:** The starting price is estimated in the range of $2,000 to $2,500. The official announcement is expected at the September 2026 event, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro series.