This iPhone Ultra feature could beat Samsung in the foldables war — Explained

In a surprising turn of events, Apple expert Mark Gurman has stated that the first foldable iPhone, set to debut at the brand’s 9 September “Surprise and Shine” event, will feature MagSafe charging.

Gurman made the assertion in an interview with Tom’s Guide. The news is surprising as, while there have been plenty of leaks about the upcoming device, the consensus has been that MagSafe would be off the table, alongside other omitted features such as a telephoto lens and FaceID.

But featuring MagSafe does make sense. Apple’s iPhone Air, launched a year ago, has been seen as a stepping stone product, whose solutions to engineering problems – chiefly how to cram a lot of tech into an ultra-slim chassis – led the way for the Ultra. And guess what? The 5.6mm thick iPhone Air does indeed feature MagSafe.

The Ultra is expected to be only around 4.5mm thick when unfolded, so getting magnetic wireless charging tech in there would be a feat. But, like the Air, it’s expected to shunt a lot of tech into its sizeable camera plateau. In the Air, this houses the logic board, processors and camera.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Magnetic wireless charging would be one feature that key foldables rival Samsung can’t match. In 2025, the Korean tech giant owned 40% of the global foldables market. But Apple is forecast to eat into that share in 2026.

Samsung got the jump on Apple by releasing its own wide foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, ahead of the Ultra. We liked it a lot when we reviewed it. But it’s not perfect. It misses out on a telephoto lens, just as the Ultra is expected to. However, neither the Z Fold 8 nor any other Samsung foldable features the option of magnetic wireless charging.

And with the iPhone Ultra expected to be even pricier than the Galaxy Z Fold 8 (from £1,699/$1,899), or even the Z Fold 8 Ultra (from £1,899/$2,099.99), the convenience of that feature could win over high-end consumers.