Foldable iPhone Ultra testers love it but miss two features

Foldable iPhone Ultra testers are broadly enthusiastic about Apple's first folding phone, praising its pocketable design, hinge quality, and tablet-like inner display — but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports two notable disappointments: the device ships with only two rear cameras and no telephoto lens, and it uses Touch ID instead of Face ID. With a September launch expected alongside the iPhone 18 lineup, those trade-offs could shape whether early adopters upgrade or stick with Pro models.

Apple's long-rumored entry into the foldable market is nearing its debut. Weeks ahead of the company's annual September iPhone event, reports suggest the foldable iPhone — widely expected to be called the iPhone Ultra — is almost ready for prime time. What makes the latest reporting especially compelling is that it comes from people who have actually held and used the device.

Over the weekend, Bloomberg Apple insider Mark Gurman shared that he spoke directly with individuals who tested the iPhone Ultra. Their feedback paints a picture of a product Apple may have nailed on form factor and engineering — while still leaving room for criticism on features many premium-phone buyers now consider essential.

Key Takeaways

• Early foldable iPhone Ultra testers praise the device's pocketable size, durable hinge, iPad-like inner display, and camera viewfinder experience.
• Testers were disappointed by the two-lens rear camera array, which omits the telephoto lens standard on current iPhone Pro models.
• The iPhone Ultra reportedly uses Touch ID rather than Face ID for authentication — disappointing users accustomed to facial recognition.
• The device is expected to cost at least $2,000, making camera and biometric compromises harder for premium buyers to accept.
• Missing features may arrive in later foldable generations, as this is Apple's first attempt in the category.

What are foldable iPhone Ultra testers saying?

According to Gurman, the overall reaction from testers was overwhelmingly positive. After hearing their accounts, he wrote that he "couldn't be more excited" for the foldable device — language that suggests Apple may have a genuine hit on its hands.

Testers highlighted several strengths. The iPhone Ultra is reportedly pocket-sized when folded. When opened, the inner display is said to be just slightly smaller than an iPad mini — a detail that underscores how much screen real estate Apple has packed into a phone-sized footprint.

That flexible internal display also enables what Gurman describes as an iPad-esque user experience. For anyone who has wished their phone could occasionally behave like a small tablet, the iPhone Ultra appears to deliver on that promise.

Apple's hinge engineering also earned high marks. Gurman reports that testers praised the "feel and durability of the advanced hinge mechanism," suggesting the years of rumored development may have paid off.

Another standout use case is photography. Gurman specifically notes that the iPhone Ultra excels as a camera viewfinder when unfolded, giving shooters a larger preview than a standard iPhone screen allows.

Why are testers disappointed with the iPhone Ultra cameras?

Despite the enthusiasm, Gurman confirms that testers flagged the camera system as a significant weakness. Leaked renders have long suggested the iPhone Ultra would carry only two rear cameras, and Gurman's reporting now adds human confirmation: testers were disappointed with the camera array.

The missing piece is a telephoto lens. On current iPhone Pro and Pro Max models, optical zoom is a headline feature. Removing it from a device positioned as Apple's most advanced, most expensive iPhone is a bold choice, and early feedback suggests it may not land well.

Gurman frames the problem in stark economic terms. The iPhone Ultra will likely cost at least $2,000, he writes, and "the Venn diagram of people willing to spend top dollar on an early-adopter product and those who appreciate advanced camera capabilities — including deeper zoom — is probably pretty close to a circle."

That tension could push current iPhone Pro owners toward the more conventional — and almost certainly less expensive — iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max instead of the Ultra.

The camera gap is not unique to Apple. In recent Mashable reviews of Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 — the latter of which reportedly matches the rumored shape and specs of the iPhone Ultra — camera performance was among the chief complaints compared to Pro and Ultra-tier slab phones from Samsung, Google, and Apple.

Why does the iPhone Ultra use Touch ID instead of Face ID?

The second major omission Gurman confirms is biometric: the iPhone Ultra lacks Face ID. Instead, the device reportedly relies on Touch ID for user authentication — a long-rumored detail that Gurman now confirms through his tester sources.

Face ID has become standard on modern iPhones. Testers who have grown accustomed to unlocking with a glance reportedly found the step back to fingerprint authentication disappointing.

For a story framed under "Nostalgia: Then & Now," the Touch ID return is hard to miss. Apple spent years steering flagship buyers toward facial recognition; bringing fingerprints back on its most futuristic iPhone is a striking reversal. Explore more on how today's tech revisits earlier eras in our Nostalgia: Then & Now coverage.

How does the iPhone Ultra compare to rival foldables?

Apple is entering a market Samsung has dominated for years. The Galaxy Z Fold line established the book-style foldable template that the iPhone Ultra is rumored to follow, and Samsung's latest Z Fold 8 has set a high bar — even if its cameras still lag behind the company's own Ultra slab phones.

Where Apple may differentiate is integration. Testers praised the iPad-like software experience on the inner display, and Apple's history of tight hardware-software optimization could give the Ultra an edge in everyday usability. The hinge praise also suggests Apple may avoid some durability concerns that plagued early foldables.

Price will be a battleground. Gurman puts the iPhone Ultra at $2,000 or more — a steep premium for a first-generation form factor with documented feature gaps.

Will Apple fix these issues in future foldables?

Gurman's reporting offers a measured outlook: omitted features, including the missing telephoto lens and Face ID, will likely appear in future foldable iPhone generations. This is Apple's first foldable phone — but almost certainly not its last.

Testers who love the hinge and display but miss their telephoto zoom may need to wait for a later generation. Whether that patience holds through a $2,000 purchase is another question entirely.

What happens next?

All eyes now turn to Apple's September event, where the iPhone 18 lineup and the foldable iPhone Ultra are expected to be announced. Until Apple takes the stage, Gurman's tester-sourced reporting — as summarized by Mashable — remains the clearest window into how the device actually feels in daily use.

If the final product matches tester enthusiasm on build quality and screen experience while shipping without telephoto zoom and Face ID, Apple will be asking buyers to make a specific trade-off: pay more than ever for an iPhone, accept fewer cameras and different biometrics, and trust that the folding future is worth the compromise. For foldable iPhone Ultra testers, that math already seems to work — with two glaring exceptions.