Apple plans to announce its first foldable smartphone next month. Industry leaks suggest the device will carry an iPhone Ultra title alongside a price tag exceeding $2,000. However, achieving an impossibly thin form factor forces significant design compromises. Consequently, buyers paying a steep premium must accept several hardware limitations.
For example, the upcoming foldable removes the dedicated telephoto zoom camera completely. Instead, the rear housing accommodates only dual 48-megapixel main and ultra-wide sensors. Dropping the third camera lens saves precious internal space within the slim chassis. Therefore, photographers accustomed to deep optical zoom ranges will notice this hardware downgrade immediately.
Physical controls across the frame also undergo a radical redesign. Specifically, leaked dummy units shared by Sonny Dickson confirm the total removal of both the traditional mute switch and the Action button. In fact, the left side profile remains entirely smooth and featureless. Meanwhile, volume controls shift up to the top edge, mimicking current tablet button layouts.
Facial recognition hardware faces complete removal on this flagship model. Because tight chassis dimensions cannot fit complex depth-sensing facial scanners across both inner and outer displays, engineers adjusted the security design. Instead, Apple resurrects finger authentication by integrating a biometric sensor directly into the side power button. As a result, this change marks the temporary end of facial scanning on premium flagship tiers.
Wireless charging magnet arrays vanish from the back panel assembly because extreme chassis thinness prevents engineers from embedding standard magnetic attachment rings. Although the device supports basic induction charging protocols, it completely drops official magnetic accessory support. Thus, power users must rely strictly on standard charging pads or direct cable connections.
Physical SIM trays disappear completely across all international sales regions. Industry analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and reporters at Bloomberg confirm the device will be eSIM-only worldwide. For instance, extreme space constraints limit the internal layout strictly to digital cellular profiles. Ultimately, buyers must evaluate whether an innovative folding display justifies losing these fundamental hardware capabilities.
