iPhone ‘Ultra’ in the Works, Said to Offer Better Features Than Pro Models: Mark Gurman

Expect it to be pricier than the existing ‘Pro Max’ model as well

Written by Sheldon Pinto, Edited by Manas Mitul | Updated: 6 February 2023 12:27 IST

iPhone ‘Ultra’ in the Works, Said to Offer Better Features Than Pro Models: Mark Gurman

Apple’s ‘Pro Max’ model is the flagship of its current iPhone lineup.

Highlights

The iPhone Pro Max has been the current top-end model from Apple for year
The new model could have better camera capabilities and a different desig
The new iPhone is expected to be announced in 2024

Samsung was the first smartphone manufacturer to launch a smartphone globally with the Ultra-branding. It was called the Galaxy S20 Ultra and it offered the best possible hardware paired with the best possible cameras from Samsung in 2020. Samsung then launched a Galaxy Note 20 Ultra 5G and then merged its Note series with its S series with the launch of the Galaxy S22 Ultra a few years later. Xiaomi also joined the ‘Ultra' bandwagon with the launch of its Mi 11 Ultra in 2021 and its recently announced successor, the Xiaomi 12S Ultra. A reliable source now hints that Apple is also preparing to launch an ‘Ultra' device of its own, one that would not only pack in more capabilities than its ‘Pro' models, but would also be priced higher.

According to Mark Gurman from Bloomberg, Apple has reportedly, internally discussed launching a new iPhone model in 2024. This new model would be a higher-end iPhone compared to the currently available ‘Pro'-branded devices and would also be priced higher than the currently available iPhone 14 Pro Max model. Gurman states that in an earlier earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook was confident that its customers will shell out more money for more features as the iPhone “has become integral to people's lives” allowing users to make payments, control IoT-enabled appliances, and track their health as well.

iPhone 14 Pro Review: Islands in the Screen

Gurman bets on Apple adding further camera improvements, over the already expected improvements to the iPhone 15 Pro models coming this year. Other expectations for this upcoming ‘Ultra' iPhone also include a faster processor and possibly an even bigger display. It could also be a port-less iPhone, ditching the lightening port to charge only wirelessly.

In his recent research notes, TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi-Kuo, also mentioned camera improvements that could be coming to the iPhone 15 series in 2023. In his tweets, he also stated how Apple could adopt the periscope lens for an upcoming iPhone 16 Pro Max or Ultra branded device. Adding a periscope lens would in theory offer improved optical zoom and also help differentiate its Pro from the Pro Max devices better, starting with the iPhone 15 series itself.

iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus Review: Minor Refreshes and a New Balance

With Samsung already offering two unique products like the Galaxy S Ultra model (with S-Pen capabilities) and the Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices in its premium segment, it will indeed be interesting to see where and how Apple further diversifies its premium iPhones which is currently stuck with one form factor. With the outgoing iPhone 14 series, Apple sells a base iPhone 14 followed by a slightly pricier iPhone 14 Plus with a bigger battery and display. Above this are the top-tier Phone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max models with better cameras and the newly introduced display with the Dynamic Island cutouts.

Samsung's Galaxy S23 series of smartphones was launched earlier this week and the South Korean firm's high-end handsets have seen a few upgrades across all three models. What about the increase in pricing? We discuss this and more on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.

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iPhone 14

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use

Bad
Dated design and notch
Very similar to iPhone 13
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 review

Display 6.06-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14 Plus

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use
Excellent battery life

Bad
Dated design and notch
Same SoC as iPhone 13 series
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 Plus review

Display 6.68-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1284x2778 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14 Pro

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Superb display with always-on mode
Excellent overall performance
Good battery life
All cameras take high-quality stills and video
Regular iOS updates for many years

Bad
Extremely expensive
Relatively slow charging and transfer speed
Gets warm under heavy workloads
Limited customisation for Dynamic Island

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 Pro review

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 6GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14 Pro Max

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.70-inch

Processor Apple A16 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 2796x1290 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple, iPhone Ultra, iPhone 16 Ultra, iPhone 15 Pro

Sheldon Pinto

Email Sheldon Pinto

Sheldon Pinto is based in Mumbai, and has several years of experience in reviewing smartphones and gadgets. As a Senior Reviewer at Gadgets 360, you will always find him deeply immersed in his reviews, switching from one phone to another. When the battery dies out, Sheldon is always browsing the web for a good sci-fi movie or reading up on cars and bikes. He also loves creating lists of interesting places to eat and travel. Sheldon is available on Twitter at @shellshocd, and you can mail him at ...More