Rumors about Apple’s first foldable iPhone have erupted this week, ranging from naming conventions to shipping windows. A prolific Weibo source, Instant Digital, swore the device will ship no later than October, contradicting earlier reports that suggested a December rollout. The leaker also hinted Apple may debut the model as the iPhone Ultra rather than the expected iPhone Fold.

Instant Digital posted that Apple could unveil the foldable in September, with shipments arriving a month after the iPhone 18 Pro launch. The source claims Apple has boosted its folding‑display inventory by 20%, raising the first‑batch stock to 11 million units—well above the 7‑8 million figure cited by Nikkei Asia. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman interprets the data as a sign the September timeline remains viable.

Whether the device lands as the iPhone Ultra or retains the iPhone Fold label, the timing could reshape Apple’s 2026 sales cadence, pulling upgrade demand away from the Pro line. With an estimated 83 million total iPhone shipments in Q1 2025, a successful foldable launch would represent a notable share of that volume. Apple appears ready to push the new form factor this fall.