Macworld reports that Apple plans to classify two new hardware products into the "Ultra" brand sequence in the next year to further strengthen its high-end product line layout. The report quoted people familiar with the matter as saying that Apple's first foldable screen iPhone will be officially named "iPhone Ultra" and will be positioned as the top-end model in the entire iPhone product lineup.
Sources indicate that “iPhone Ultra” will not be considered a member of the iPhone 18 series, although it will debut at the same time as the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. This strategy is similar to the “iPhone Air” that is not currently part of the iPhone 17 series. Apple's internal plan is to try to release this foldable phone within the iPhone 18 Pro launch time window, but it does not rule out the possibility that its actual launch time will be a few weeks later, and supply will be relatively tight in the early stages.
In addition to the foldable iPhone, Apple also plans to launch a new "MacBook Ultra" later this year or early 2027. This product will be equipped with an OLED display and support touch operations. The overall positioning is higher than the existing MacBook Pro, and the price is expected to be significantly higher than the current MacBook Pro model. Apple originally planned to release the phone earlier this year, but due to shortages in the memory supply chain, its launch has reportedly been delayed by several months.
Currently, Apple has widely used the “Ultra” brand in its chip and wearable product lines, including M series Ultra chips, Apple Watch Ultra and CarPlay Ultra. It was previously reported that the folding screen iPhone and OLED MacBook will adopt the "Ultra" naming scheme, and now this route has basically been further confirmed. In addition, Bloomberg also mentioned earlier that Apple is also considering launching new high-end audio products such as “AirPods Ultra” to add new members to the “Ultra” family.