After years of speculation, Apple's foldable iPhone project appears to be moving closer to commercial production, with new details emerging about its design and hardware configuration.

According to supply-chain sources, Apple is preparing a product that differs significantly from its traditional iPhone lineup. However, bringing a complex foldable design to market may require compromises in several key hardware areas.

The latest reports indicate that the iPhone Ultra will feature a dedicated vapor chamber cooling system but will not receive Samsung's most advanced OLED technology, which is expected to debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

iPhone Ultra gives up the M16 spotlight

According to leaker Schrödinger, Apple has chosen Samsung's M14 OLED panel for the iPhone Ultra. The display is already widely regarded for its brightness, color accuracy and energy efficiency.

More notably, however, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are reportedly set to receive Samsung's new M16 OLED technology, representing a substantial leap beyond the M14 generation.

The M16 is considered Samsung's most advanced OLED platform to date, utilizing a phosphorescent blue emissive material instead of the traditional fluorescent blue layer.

The shift is regarded as a major technological breakthrough because phosphorescent materials convert electrical energy into light far more efficiently, reducing power consumption while extending battery life.

The M16 panel is also said to support true 10-bit color output, delivering a wider color gamut, smoother gradients and significantly improved HDR performance.

Apple's decision not to equip the iPhone Ultra with the M16 may surprise many observers, given expectations that the foldable model will become the most expensive and premium iPhone ever released.

Industry analysts suggest the move could be linked to manufacturing costs, supply limitations or technical constraints associated with foldable display designs.

The leak also claims that the standard iPhone 18 could use either the M14 OLED panel or a variant known as the M12+ OLED.

The M12+ is believed to be an upgraded version of the M12 display technology previously featured on the iPhone 14 Pro and Samsung's Galaxy S23 series. While it may not match the capabilities of the M14 or M16, it is expected to remain competitive within the flagship smartphone segment.

The information suggests Apple may be moving toward a more clearly differentiated display strategy across its product lineup rather than offering similar screen technologies across multiple models.

Vapor chamber cooling for Apple's most powerful iPhone

One of the most significant details from the latest leak concerns the inclusion of a dedicated vapor chamber cooling system in the iPhone Ultra.

The technology has become increasingly common among high-end Android smartphones in recent years, particularly performance-focused gaming devices and flagship models powered by advanced processors.

A vapor chamber distributes heat across a larger surface area, allowing sustained performance over longer periods while minimizing thermal throttling.

For the iPhone Ultra, the technology could be particularly important because foldable devices typically have less available internal space for heat dissipation compared with traditional slab-style smartphones.

The addition of vapor chamber cooling suggests Apple is preparing a device capable of handling demanding AI workloads, gaming and content creation tasks for years to come.

To achieve its slim foldable design and sophisticated hinge mechanism, however, Apple may need to eliminate or simplify several existing features.

Sources indicate the iPhone Ultra could use a simplified Face ID system, remove the telephoto camera, eliminate MagSafe support, abandon physical SIM trays in additional markets and potentially omit the Action Button found on current Pro models.

These reported changes suggest Apple is prioritizing internal space for the hinge, battery and folding display system rather than preserving every feature available on today's premium iPhones.

In a separate development, well-known leaker Ice Universe recently shared images said to show a prototype model of the iPhone Ultra. Current information suggests Apple's first foldable smartphone may launch in only two color options: white and dark blue.

If the reports prove accurate, the iPhone Ultra could represent Apple's most significant hardware transformation since the introduction of the iPhone X in 2017.

Hai Phong