- A dummy unit of Apple’s iPhone Ultra has apparently leaked out
- It was inspected by popular YouTuber Unbox Therapy
- The video scrutinized many facets of the speculated device
Apple‘s foldable iPhone, reportedly dubbed the iPhone Ultra, has to be one of the worst-kept secrets in tech at this point, with numerous leaks and rumors having emerged — and the latest features what are said to be dummy units of the handset.
These come from popular YouTuber Unbox Therapy, who put the units under the microscope in a new video on their channel, discussing various aspects of the device.
They noted that its volume buttons are on the top of the phone, while its speakers sit on diagonally opposite corners from each other. On the back are what look to be two camera lenses housed in Apple’s traditional ‘camera bump.’
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In terms of the form factor, the iPhone Ultra dummy unit appears as a wide rectangle when folded — not dissimilar in proportions to your passport — and looks more like a traditional tablet when unfolded. The vertical hinge means the iPhone unfolds like a book, rather than having the clamshell design of some of the best folding phones, and this lines up with what past rumors have indicated we’ll see from Apple.
It’s a shape that Unbox Therapy describes as “so strange, this form factor. That is strange”. Compared to the Google Pixel Fold, the iPhone Ultra looks rather different, with a shorter height but slightly chunkier width. Still, that lowers the center of gravity and makes the device “stable” and not top-heavy when opened, Unbox Therapy felt.
Another reason for the design could be that the folded aspect ratio is similar to that of an iPad, which might help developers effectively port their apps to the new phone.
‘A major downgrade’
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As for its measurements, the device is 117.71mm tall and 84.27mm wide when folded. Its width is 5.24mm when unfolded, which is similar to the iPhone Air; when folded, it’s 11.02mm at its thinnest point and 16.57mm at the camera bump.
Speaking of which, Unbox Therapy observed that the camera bump is “enormous” — so much so that resting the phone on a table creates a large “ramp” that makes the phone wobble considerably when tapped — enough to make it a potential “wobble champion,” Unbox Therapy dryly noted.
Interestingly, Unbox Therapy was convinced that Apple’s intention is for people to use the iPhone Ultra in its unfolded state most of the time. They felt so strongly about this, in fact, that they described the folded form factor as something that “feels like a major downgrade from your existing iPhone experience”.
With a shorter height and increased thickness compared to any of the best iPhones, the folded-up device seems to be compromised, Unbox Therapy argued. It’s when the product is unfolded that it truly comes into its own.
It’s worth noting that since the device tested by Unbox Therapy was supposedly a dummy unit, it won’t be 100% reflective of what Apple could ship, even if it’s the genuine article. Dummy units are meant to show roughly what the finished product will look and feel like, but core aspects — such as its speakers, software, cameras and much more — are either subject to variation or completely absent.
So, that means we should take Unbox Therapy’s video with a decent helping of salt. While it might indicate the general outline of what Apple might ship later this year, we’ll no doubt see some differences, both large and small, between this and what gets unveiled by the company.
Still, given that Apple is the company behind this product — and considering the rumored ‘Ultra’ branding and price tag north of $2,000 — we can expect something that could quickly become one of the best foldable phones on the market. Whether or not that’s the case will become apparent when the iPhone Ultra makes it’s eventual appearance, which we expect will be later this year.
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alexblake.techradar@gmail.com (Alex Blake)
