The phone hasn't even launched yet, and the naming debate has already begun. According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple employees have widely started calling the rumored foldable phone "iPhone Ultra," replacing the "iPhone Fold" moniker previously favored by leakers. This information came out during a discussion Gurman had with Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach on X, with the key takeaway being: even if the internal naming has become consistent, the official retail name is still far from finalized.
The issue lies in how much weight "Ultra" carries within Apple's ecosystem. From M-series chips to top-tier wearables, "Ultra" has always represented the most powerful entry in a product line. But a foldable phone's selling point is its form factor, not its specs — and Weinbach's challenge is direct: what gives a phone that's primarily about a folding screen the right to outrank the existing Pro-tier naming logic?
The more pressing issue is the hardware gap. Industry observers point out that this foldable is unlikely to match the full spec sheet of the iPhone 18 Pro Max: the Pro Max is expected to retain a stronger camera system, a more durable build, better thermal performance, and longer battery life. What the foldable can offer is exclusive display technology, the latest A-series chip of its generation, and one other distinction — the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever made. That premium price tag may end up being the most direct justification for the "Ultra" title.
That said, Gurman cautions that what Apple employees call the device internally doesn't necessarily reflect an official decision. The company is famously compartmentalized when it comes to information — unless employees are directly involved in development, they typically don't have access to unannounced product details. "iPhone Ultra" may simply be a name that stuck internally after echoing external leaks, rather than something greenlit by the marketing department. The actual name, reportedly known only to a small handful of marketing team members, won't be revealed until the September event.
