Kuo: iPhone Ultra may have limited supply at launch and ship later

TheiPhone Ultra, Apple’s foldable phone, is rumored to go official inSeptemberalongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. However, a new report suggests the foldable iPhone won't be available for pre-orders immediately after its unveiling, with shipments likely to begin at a later date. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone Ultra will be available in limited quantities at launch due to manufacturing challenges. As a result, pre-orders are expected to begin later than those for the iPhone 18 Pro andiPhone 18 Pro Max.

Kuo says Apple could begin shipping the foldable iPhone in the fourth quarter of 2026. Despite its expected price tag of $2,300 to $2,500, the analyst believes the iPhone Ultra will sell out immediately once it goes on sale. Limited supply could also drive scalpers to resell the device at premiums of 50 to 100 percent above its retail price. Kuo estimates Apple will ship around 7-8 million units of the foldable iPhone by the end of 2026. Notably, a recent report claimed that Apple has increased its 2026 production target for the iPhone Ultra to around10 million units. Source