While the iPhone 18 Pro duo is still expected to offer plenty of advantages, the foldable iPhone Ultra could stand apart in three important areas.

The biggest screen, yet more compact

One of the most obvious advantages of the iPhone Ultra lies in its dual-display setup. According to leaks, the device will feature a 5.5-inch outer display and an inner screen measuring as much as 7.8 inches when fully unfolded.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to feature a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max will reportedly come with a 6.9-inch screen.

That gives the iPhone Ultra an unusual advantage: when unfolded, its screen is larger than those on the entire Pro lineup, yet when folded, it offers a significantly smaller display.

With a 7.8-inch screen, the iPhone Ultra could become the most appealing option for users who want the largest possible display on an iPhone.

The extra screen space would be particularly useful for watching videos, gaming, reading documents or handling multiple pieces of content at the same time.

But the iPhone Ultra's appeal may not be limited to its large display. When folded, its 5.5-inch outer screen could also attract users who once loved compact models such as the iPhone mini.

Since discontinuing the iPhone mini line, Apple has no longer offered a truly compact premium model in its portfolio. The iPhone Ultra could fill some of that gap, albeit in an entirely different way.

Easier to pocket and more comfortable to hold when folded

Size has long been an issue with iPhone Pro models, particularly the iPhone Pro Max. The iPhone 17 Pro Max has already highlighted some of the practical limitations users face when trying to slip the device into a trouser pocket.

With the iPhone 18 Pro Max, that problem is unlikely to be fully resolved.

Rumors suggest that the overall dimensions of the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will not change significantly from the previous generation.

However, the rear camera section could become thicker again to accommodate a new camera system.

If that proves true, the added thickness could make the already bulky Pro models even more difficult to fit comfortably into a pocket.

The iPhone Ultra takes an entirely different approach. Thanks to its foldable design, the device can become considerably more compact when not in use.

That means users could slip it into a wider variety of pockets than a conventional large-screen slab smartphone.

Beyond making it easier to carry, a design reportedly inspired by Apple's Air product line is also expected to make the iPhone Ultra more comfortable in the hand.

Rather than emphasizing the thick, heavy body associated with Pro models, Apple could steer the iPhone Ultra toward a thinner, sleeker and more contemporary design.

If executed well, this could become a major advantage. A phone that offers a large display but can still shrink down when needed would solve a problem conventional smartphones have struggled to address.

iOS 27 could bring exclusive multitasking

Although the iPhone Ultra may have to accept some hardware compromises compared with the iPhone 18 Pro, its biggest advantage could ultimately come from software.

According to rumors, the ability to display two apps side by side could become a multitasking feature exclusive to the iPhone Ultra.

When the device is unfolded, users could keep two apps running simultaneously on the screen. More notably, the system is also rumored to support dragging and dropping content directly between the two apps.

Such a feature could turn the iPhone Ultra's 7.8-inch display into a genuine workspace rather than simply a larger screen for consuming content.

Users could, for example, keep a browser open on one side and a notes app on the other, or view a document while simultaneously working in an email app.

iOS 27 is also rumored to bring landscape mode to a wider range of system apps for the first time.

While the feature could appear on other iPhone models, it seems particularly well suited to taking advantage of the iPhone Ultra's wider display.

With its 7.8-inch screen and landscape interface, the iPhone Ultra experience could move closer to that of an iPad mini while retaining the portability of a smartphone.

That could be precisely what Apple needs to convince users that the iPhone Ultra is not simply a foldable iPhone, but an entirely new product line.

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still expected to be Apple's most powerful iPhones in terms of performance and camera capabilities.

The iPhone Ultra, however, could compete with a different philosophy: a flexible display, a compact folded design and multitasking capabilities that make full use of its larger screen.

Hai Phong