(Image credit: Majin Bu via X / Tom's Guide)
Like a lot of phone nerds I know, I've been waiting years to see what Apple could do with a foldable phone — and that reality may soon be here with the iPhone Ultra. However, it’s going to take more than just novel engineering and a new form factor to pull me away from its top-of-the-line flagship.I know a lot of people may face this dilemma next month, if rumors turn out to be true about Apple’s iPhone event happening September 9. That’s why I’m exploring this iPhone Ultra vs. iPhone 18 Pro Max debate to tell you their biggest selling points based on the leaks and rumors.Clearly, the traditional flagship design isn't broken, and the iPhone 18 Pro Max is poised to deliver all the marquee features I rely on day in and day out: unmatched battery endurance, top-notch camera performance, and relentless reliability. For Apple, though, the iPhone Ultra could finally give the Pro Max its toughest challenge to date.Real productivity could finally arrive
(Image credit: Apple Track)After testing out many of the best foldable phones, like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Motorola Razr Fold, there’s no denying how the iPhone Ultra presents itself as the ultimate productivity workhorse. It’s tipped to pack a massive 7.8-inch main display that inherently is better suited for getting work done than the iPhone 18 Pro Max’s 6.9-inch screen.That 7.8-inch display could finally bring real, side-by-side multitasking to an iPhone for the first timeI’m not just referring to how it has an overwhelming size advantage for watching videos, but how that 7.8-inch display could finally bring real, side-by-side multitasking to an iPhone for the first time. If Apple somehow sneaks multitasking into iOS 27, it could theoretically be accessible to the iPhone 18 Pro Max — but it would be forced to stack them on top of one another when the orientation is in portrait.Just as crucial, though, is the exterior screen experience of the iPhone Ultra. Unlike the wide, hefty footprint of the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the Ultra’s outer cover display is significantly narrower and easier to maneuver with one hand. That means quick-fire tasks — like snappy text responses and accepting calendar invites — would feel far more agile, giving the Ultra the edge whether it’s opened up or kept shut.Catering to vloggers versus robust utility
