According to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, Apple is seriously considering launching an Apple iPhone 16 Ultra next year. The Ultra would be located above the iPhone Pro and iPhone Pro Max and accordingly more expensive. Gurman cites a response from Apple CEO Tim Cook to investors’ questions as to whether the rising average price of iPhones is sustainable. Cook said that people are “are willing to really stretch to get the best they can afford in that category”.
Cook reportedly views the iPhone as an “integral” part of people’s lives. They use it to make payments and store banking information, control smart home devices, and monitor their health. Apple is reportedly very open about introducing a fifth iPhone model – the Ultra – alongside the normal iPhone, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max. The company could launch it as early as 2024. Apple already uses the Ultra brand for its most powerful M1 processor and top of the line -Smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra.
So far it is unclear which functions an iPhone Ultra would have to have to justify its flagship position. Gurman speculates that it may not be an iPhone Fold, as Apple is reportedly focusing its foldable efforts on larger devices like notebooks, and a foldable iPhone is unlikely to come until after 2024.
An iPhone Ultra might have an even larger display than the Pro Max, better cameras, and a faster processor. But before 2024, Apple is expected to first introduce a periscope zoom camera in the 2023 iPhone 15 series.
