Apple iPhone Ultra may not come in black
According to a dubious new rumor, Apple hasn’t yet made a final decision on whether its upcoming foldable Apple iPhone Ultra will be available in black. Weibo leaker Instant Digital claims that Apple “hasn’t even decided if the foldable will be available in black,” adding snidely, “Do they have something against the color black?”
The remark suggests that black is at least being considered, but has not yet been confirmed as part of the product range – a remarkably open question for a device that is expected to enter mass production soon and is scheduled to launch as early as September.
In February, the leaker described the Apple iPhone Ultra as being available in only two colors, with white being the only confirmed color and the second being unspecified. Instant Digital revisited this report in May without changing the color details, maintaining the mention of two color options. Today’s commentary doesn’t necessarily contradict this, but it does create new uncertainty about what the second option actually is.
Apple iPhone Ultra in Indigo Blue and White
Macworld cited a supply chain source who said the second color option of the Apple iPhone Ultra will be an indigo blue similar to the deep blue of the iPhone 17 Pro, alongside a classic silver-white model. According to this source, the device will offer fewer color choices than the iPhone 18 Pro models and will not include any bold or vibrant colors. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman similarly reported that Apple plans to “avoid flashy colors” and focus on the more traditional silver/white and space gray/black colorways.
Samsung Display’s OLED panels for the device are already in mass production, and the ramp-up phase is underway. Color decisions typically flow directly into manufacturing and component procurement, all of which must be finalized well in advance of the market launch. With a device as complex and supply-limited as the foldable Apple iPhone Ultra, color discussions in the final stages seem unlikely. Therefore, the rumor may simply point to uncertainties in the supply chain regarding the second color.
However, the dummy models that have surfaced so far have only been seen in white. It’s also worth noting that new high-end products like the Apple Watch Ultra and the Vision Pro were only released in a single color variant.
The limited color selection likely reflects the practical realities of device manufacturing. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo warned that initial production difficulties and ramp-up problems could restrict supply until at least the end of 2026. The frequently cited figure of 15 to 20 million units likely reflects cumulative demand over the entire two- to three-year product lifecycle, not just demand up to 2026. Additional color variations increase the number of SKUs (Supply Units) that need to be produced, stored, and allocated. Apple therefore has little economic incentive to bear this complication, as a tight supply at launch is expected anyway.
This approach would largely correspond to Apple’s previous practice with product launches involving generational changes. The iPhone X was initially released in November 2017 only in silver and space gray, at a then-record starting price of $999. The iPhone XS, released a year later, added gold to the color palette, and Apple could follow the same gradual approach with the iPhone Ultra over time.
With a starting price that, according to Gurman, “will exceed the $2,000 mark,” the foldable Apple iPhone Ultra is unlikely to appeal to buyers whose purchasing decision depends heavily on color options. This gives Apple the opportunity to deliberately keep the initial color palette small. The first Apple iPhone Ultra is expected to be unveiled in September 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
