Fresh off WWDC 2026 and Apple’s cozy relationship with Gemini-powered Siri features, the rumor mill has already moved on to Apple’s next big swing: its first foldable iPhone. According to a new video and renders shared by Jon Prosser, the so-called iPhone Ultra could finally make its debut alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup this September.

If the renders are anywhere close to reality, Apple doesn’t appear interested in copying the narrow foldables of the past. Instead, the iPhone Ultra is said to embrace a much wider design philosophy. The idea is that when folded shut, it should feel like a regular iPhone in your pocket. Open it up, and it transforms into something much closer to a compact iPad.

The design philosophy also feels strikingly familiar. After years of criticism over the narrow cover screens on earlier Fold models, Samsung finally embraced a wider, more phone-like display with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. That change made the Fold feel much more like a regular smartphone when closed. Based on these latest renders, Apple appears to be borrowing that exact roadmap.

Prosser also claims Apple is preparing a remarkably thin foldable with a nearly invisible crease and a hinge mechanism reportedly imbued with Apple’s trademark obsession with over-engineering. Whether that translates into a meaningful real-world advantage remains to be seen, but Apple has rarely entered a new hardware category without first addressing the industry’s most obvious complaints.

The rumored dimensions are particularly ambitious. When unfolded, the iPhone Ultra could reportedly measure just 4.5mm thick, making it thinner than even Apple’s ultra-slim iPhone Air. That’s undeniably impressive, though it would still be around 0.3mm thicker than Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, which currently sits at an astonishing 4.2mm when unfolded. Even so, for Apple’s first foldable attempt, matching Samsung this closely on thickness would be a notable achievement.

Of course, that kind of engineering won’t come cheap. Early whispers point to a price tag north of $2,000, putting it firmly in luxury-device territory. Then again, premium pricing has never stopped Apple fans before.

What’s particularly interesting is the timing; Samsung isn’t standing still. By the time Apple enters the foldable race, Samsung will have the Galaxy Z Fold 7 firmly established and will launch the next chapter with the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the rumored Fold 8 Wide. If those devices continue Samsung’s push toward wider displays and thinner bodies, Apple won’t be entering an empty field — it’ll be stepping into a category that’s already rapidly maturing.

For years, foldables have largely been Samsung’s playground. The iPhone Ultra could change that overnight. Whether Apple ends up leading the category or simply joining it fashionably late is the question we’ll be asking for the rest of 2026.