Apple's Foldable iPhone: Why Two Missing Features Matter More Than Praise

The Good News Is Real — But Not Enough

Apple’s first foldable iPhone has finally left the rumor phase, and early tester feedback is genuinely encouraging. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman spoke with people who have used the device — reportedly called the iPhone Ultra — and his summary is blunt: “I couldn’t be more excited.” The hinge feels durable, the pocketable form factor works, and the unfolded display is roughly the size of an iPad mini. Testers also praised how naturally the device serves as a camera viewfinder.

These are exactly the qualities that should make a foldable phone feel like an upgrade rather than a novelty. Apple’s engineering team has spent years perfecting the hinge mechanism, and the feedback suggests the investment paid off. For anyone who has used previous Samsung Galaxy Z phones — where the crease was visible and the hinge felt loose — this represents meaningful progress.

The device also nails what makes foldables special in daily use: a phone that folds small enough for any pocket, then opens into a tablet-class screen for reading, video, or multitasking. Testers consistently mentioned the pocket-size appeal, which is the single most important factor for foldable adoption beyond early tech enthusiasts.

The Two Deal-Breakers Are Specific and Strategic

But here is what matters more than the praise: the iPhone Ultra is missing two features that will actively discourage its core upgrade audience from buying it. These are not minor oversights. They are structural compromises that reveal the fundamental tension in Apple’s first foldable strategy.

First, the phone has only two rear cameras — no telephoto lens. This has been rumored for months, but Gurman confirmed that testers were disappointed. At an expected price of at least $2,000, the iPhone Ultra sits in the same price bracket as the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Current iPhone Pro users upgrading in September will be comparing the Ultra’s camera array against the existing Pro lineup, not against Samsung or Google flagships.

The math is unfavorable. The Venn diagram of people willing to spend top dollar on an early-adopter product and those who appreciate advanced camera capabilities is almost a perfect circle. iPhone Pro owners do not buy Pro phones by accident — camera quality is a primary reason. Losing the telephoto lens is not just a missing feature; it is a perceived downgrade that gives these users a clear alternative: wait for the iPhone 18 Pro or buy the slightly less expensive iPhone 18 Pro Max instead.

This is not hypothetical. Mashable’s recent reviews of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 — which matches the rumored shape and specs of the iPhone Ultra — flagged camera arrays as a chief complaint. The Z Fold 8’s cameras lagged behind Samsung’s own Galaxy S series and competing flagships from Google and Apple. Apple is repeating the same mistake, but with a higher price tag and a user base that expects more.

Face ID vs. Touch ID: The Identity Problem

The second omission is arguably more consequential for Apple than the camera situation. The iPhone Ultra lacks Face ID. Instead, it uses Touch ID — likely a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, given the device’s form factor. Gurman confirmed this was a long-standing rumor, but confirmation from testers brings the disappointment into sharp focus.

Face ID is not a feature iPhone users take lightly. It is embedded in the daily ritual of unlocking, paying, and authenticating across the Apple ecosystem. Removing it from a $2,000 device is not a cost-cutting measure — it is a design compromise that signals this phone is not quite a full iPhone Pro experience. Testers who were enthusiastic about the hinge and display size reported frustration when it came to authentication.

This creates a psychological barrier that no amount of hinge engineering can overcome. The iPhone Ultra is asking users to accept a meaningful downgrade in one of Apple’s signature features in exchange for a form factor that, while impressive, still faces adoption headwinds. For most consumers, the question is not whether the foldable hinge feels premium — it is whether they are comfortable giving up Face ID on their primary device.

Why This Matters Beyond Apple

The iPhone Ultra’s two missing features are not unique to Apple. They reflect a broader industry pattern: foldable phones, across all manufacturers, have consistently compromised on cameras and biometric authentication in their early generations. Samsung’s Z Fold and Z Flip lines have faced identical criticism. Google’s Pixel Fold made similar trade-offs.

What makes Apple’s situation different is the scale of its upgrade cycle. Apple does not need to win new smartphone buyers — it needs to convince existing iPhone users to upgrade. The Pro upgrade path is already well-defined: iPhone 17 Pro → iPhone 18 Pro. The Ultra threatens to fragment that path by offering a form factor upgrade without a feature parity upgrade. The result is a product that sits in an awkward middle ground — too expensive to ignore, too compromised to recommend.

Future models will likely close these gaps. A telephoto lens on a foldable is solvable engineering; Touch ID placed alongside Face ID on future devices is a design choice Apple can reverse. But the first generation sets expectations, and those expectations will shape purchasing decisions for years. If early adopters buy the Ultra, endure the camera and authentication compromises, and find the hinge satisfying, the market may stabilize. If they buy it and immediately look toward the iPhone 18 Pro Max instead, the foldable category remains a niche product for Apple.

The testers who praised the iPhone Ultra are real enthusiasts. Their excitement matters. But enthusiasm does not pay for $2,000 phones — upgrade economics do. And right now, the upgrade economics favor the traditional iPhone Pro over the foldable experiment.