Apple’s long-anticipated entry into the foldable smartphone market, often referred to as the "iPhone Ultra," is shaping up to be an exclusive affair. While excitement is building for the device—rumored to feature a 5.5-inch outer screen, a massive 7.8-inch internal display, and an ultra-slim profile—securing one at launch might be a major challenge. Supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that production will be heavily restricted, with only 500,000 to one million units expected to be available during the initial launch window. This is a stark contrast to the millions of standard iPhone 18 Pro models Apple typically prepares, suggesting that initial stock will vanish almost instantly.

Industry experts are drawing parallels to the 2017 launch of the iPhone X, anticipating that manufacturing complexities could trigger significant shipping delays of up to six weeks or more. Given the projected price tag of $2,300 to $2,500, the device is positioned as a ultra-premium luxury item, and the anticipated scarcity is already raising concerns about resellers driving up prices. For consumers hoping to be among the first to own Apple’s first foldable, the consensus is clear: if you aren't prepared to pre-order immediately or deal with a lengthy wait, you may be looking at a much longer wait time before the supply finally catches up to demand toward the end of the year.