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2026 is the year Apple needs to release the iPhone Ultra — and ditch Pro Max for good

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By Tom Pritchard

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Apple also used the phone as an opportunity to try new things, like enhanced durability and 3D-printed USB-C ports. Like many others, I’ve wondered if Apple is using the phone as a way to test the water ahead of the release of the iPhone Fold.
Now imagine that same kind of experimentation, but without the limitations of an ultra-thin design. An iPhone pushes the boundaries of what an iPhone can do, with a no-holds-barred attitude to the final product. Something that isn’t just a larger version of a different phone, while offering similar performance.
Personally, I’d be using what the iPhone 17 Pro Max does best, namely the battery life and size, as a launching point to create a device worthy of the name “iPhone Ultra.” There are so many things you can find on rival phones that Apple doesn’t do, and while the list has been shrinking quite rapidly, it’s a way for Apple to prove it’s worthy of being described as the best smartphone maker in the world.
Just think about some of the things you’d like to see on an iPhone. Maybe you want a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra-style 200MP main camera lens, or a telephoto camera offering 10x optical zoom with 100x AI-enhanced digital zoom. Maybe you want to see an iPhone that can rival the Chinese brands on charging — either close to or exceeding triple-digit speeds.
Or maybe you want to see Apple adopt features from gaming phones, with even bigger batteries and screen specs that you typically don’t see on ordinary flagships. A 4K display might be too much for the battery to handle, but we’ve seen plenty of devices with refresh rates well in excess of 120Hz — like the Motorola Razr Ultra.
We could even see a switch back to titanium, though that would all depend on whether Apple is happy to return to a metal that isn’t as “thermally efficient” as the new aluminum frames. There are so many avenues to explore if Apple isn’t worrying about sticking to the same $1,199 price tag.
Bottom line

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide)
Will Apple scrap the iPhone 18 Pro Max in favor of an Ultra model? It doesn’t feel likely, considering the sales history of other Pro Max iPhones, compared to the Pro models. If the iPhone 17 Pro Max follows a similar trend, then the odds are only going to get worse.
That said, there’s still plenty of scope for Apple to offer a better and more premium iPhone — even if it means charging considerably more money. On the one hand, the iPhone Fold could easily fill that particular niche if the rumors of a fall 2026 launch are accurate. Though I would certainly like to see what Apple can accomplish on a non-folding Ultra phone as well. At the very least, I’d like to see Apple do more with the Pro Max, even if it does retain the same name for a few more years.
But with changes that have come to the lineup with iPhone Air, the time is right for Apple to push the iPhone in different directions and not just release the same iterative updates year in and year out. The iPhone Ultra would be an excellent way to keep the Air’s momentum going.
More from Tom’s Guide

iPhone Air battery life tested — our results are in
Forget iPhone Air — Galaxy S25 Edge is the thin phone to get now that it’s down to its all-time lowest price
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Tom Pritchard

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UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom’s Guide’s UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It’s long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.

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