This iPhone might be an i-sore.
Ahead of its hotly anticipated launch, a functional mock-up of Apple’s new foldable phone — the iPhone Ultra — has been leaked to the Canadian YouTube channel Unbox Therapy, which gives clandestine first looks at official products and leaked prototypes to its 26.5 million subscribers.
In the premature preview with over 1.9 million views, channel host Lewis Hilsenteger unwrapped an alleged Chinese mockup of the gadget, which reportedly “snaps” in half with a hinged screen. The official iPhone Ultra is slated to debut on September 9 at Apple’s “Surprise and Shine” event.
“There’s increasing accuracy coming out of China at this point,” the YouTuber explained. “And the stuff they’re sending is looking more and more like the actual finished products.”
Based on the mockup, the new iPhone Ultra features a passport-style folding design that’s almost a dead ringer for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8.
It also has a small screen on the front and a larger second screen that’s only visible when opened.
While the dimensions of the iPhone Ultra have yet to be announced, experts like Hilsenteger predict that the cover display will measure 5.5 inches, while the main screen will be 7.8 inches across, according to Tom’s Guide.
The video also shows a two-lens camera, volume buttons at the top — rather than the typical side positioning — and two other pronounced buttons that Hilsenteger predicts will help lock and unlock the fold mechanism of the phone, and perhaps to help users take photos and videos while it’s snapped shut.
Apple fans and tech experts have spotted a pronounced crease down the middle of the prototype, despite prior leaks claiming that it would be relatively seamless, per the teaser.
Hilsenteger assured viewers that there is “no way” the final product’s crease will “be this pronounced.”
Even so, viewers had mixed feelings about the awkward electronic device, which some have mockingly dubbed the “iPhold.”
“I genuinely think Apple should sit the folding thing out,” said one critic.
Another vented, “Really hoping [a] folding phone doesn’t become the norm.”
“Just wish the fold would have been a bit taller in size when closed,” critiqued a third. “I was so excited for it but it’s a letdown.”
Others ripped the iPhone’s hefty price tag, which is expected to start at upwards of $2,000.
“Phones are getting more expensive,” lamented one naysayer. “Some beat the price of PCs and laptops.”
“The problem with foldable smartphones is they are inevitably disgusting visually and don’t respond to a new customer need,” said a Redditor. “Nobody cares about having a phablet in their pocket.”
Another said succinctly, “I’m worried.”
Bloomberg tech reporter Mark Gurman suggested that the device definitely skewed more statement than substance.
“You don’t need a foldable iPhone,” he told Tom’s Guide contributor Mark Spoonauer. “This is something that you get if you want.
“I couldn’t tell you with a straight face that you need to spend $2,000 plus on a phone because it has a super advanced hinge and the ability to open to the size of an iPad.”
Instead, he viewed the glossy gadget as a “status symbol” instead of a must-have — at least if it doesn’t become a TikTok joke upon launch for its reportedly clunky appearance.
While the product is slated for an unveiling next week, supply chain experts predict it may not be available for preorder until the fourth quarter of 2026, between October and December.
