Apple iPhone Ultra said to be delayed by months, at least in some regions

Just a few days ago, an analyst stated that Apple is unable to secure enough DRAM for the production of the Apple iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the iPhone Ultra to ensure sufficient availability of all three models for the September launch. Channel News has now learned from sources within Apple’s supply chain that while Apple is expected to announce the iPhone Ultra at the September launch event, the sales will be delayed.

There are reportedly two reasons for this. First, Apple cannot source enough components at the agreed-upon prices to produce the required number of iPhone Ultra units for a global launch. And second, quality control checks have reportedly identified issues with many iPhone Ultra units that have already been manufactured, further reducing the number of units that can actually be sold. These setbacks are reportedly leading Apple to plan a phased rollout. At the launch event in September, the company is not expected to confirm the price of the foldable iPhone just yet, but rather to announce only a rough launch schedule.

This timeline is said to call for the device to hit the market first in the U.S., followed by key markets such as China and Europe. In regions like Australia, sales of the iPhone Ultra are not expected to begin until months later. According to the current plan, only seven million iPhone Ultra units are to be manufactured in the second half of 2026, a virtually negligible amount, given that Apple sold around 247 million iPhones in 2025 alone. Demand for the iPhone Ultra could suffer due to its price, as the smartphone is expected to cost more than twice as much as the iPhone 17 Pro ($1,057 on Amazon).