Tom's Guide put iPhone Fold against iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the gap starts with screen size. The rumored iPhone Ultra is tipped to carry a 7.8-inch main display, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max is described as having a 6.9-inch screen. That difference could matter most for people who want more room for side-by-side work.
7.8-inch iPhone Ultra
Tom's Guide says Apple could soon bring a foldable phone called the iPhone Ultra. The larger panel would give the phone more usable space for two app windows, which is the practical reason foldables draw attention from productivity-focused buyers.
Fixed Focus Digital says iPhone Fold stays on track for 2026 — Iphone Ultra.
iPhone 18 Pro Max screen
The iPhone 18 Pro Max remains the familiar flagship in this comparison. Its 6.9-inch screen is still smaller than the rumored foldable panel, so multitasking would have to stay stacked in portrait orientation unless Apple changes the software model.
Tom's Guide says that setup could still make multitasking available on the iPhone 18 Pro Max if Apple adds it in iOS 27. That would give the traditional phone a software path to split tasks, but it would not match the wider canvas the foldable design suggests.
September 9 and iOS 27
The timing matters because Tom's Guide says Apple’s iPhone event could happen on September 9 if rumors are true. If that date holds, buyers weighing a new Apple phone may have to decide whether to wait for the foldable route or stay with the standard Pro Max shape.
The unresolved issue is whether Apple actually shows the iPhone Ultra on September 9. The more practical open question is whether iOS 27 turns the bigger display into real side-by-side multitasking instead of just a larger screen for the same single-window habits.
