On April 24, reviewer Vadim Yuryev published photos of so-called dummy units — plastic mockups of the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Ultra. Case manufacturers receive such models from suppliers long before the official announcement in order to prepare accessories. They usually accurately reflect the shape, dimensions, and camera placement — even if other details may still change. And these mockups hide several genuinely unexpected details.
iPhone 18 Pro Max: the design is unchanged, but the camera gets even thicker
If you compare the iPhone 18 Pro Max dummy unit with the current iPhone 17 Pro Max, the body design is practically identical. Apple is not planning a radical redesign for the 2026 Pro lineup. But there is one detail that immediately stands out: the camera module protrudes significantly.
Exact thickness dimensions of the iPhone 18 Pro Max
- Body thickness without the camera: minor changes
- Thickness with the camera platform (camera plateau): 11.54 mm — versus 11.23 mm in the iPhone 17 Pro Max
- Thickness with the camera lenses: 13.77 mm — versus 12.92 mm in the iPhone 17 Pro Max
So, taking the lenses into account, the iPhone 18 Pro Max will become 0.85 mm thicker. For a smartphone where every millimeter is felt in the hand, this is a noticeable change. The most likely reason: the variable aperture on the main camera requires a more complex optical block with a larger number of moving elements.
iPhone Ultra: a foldable smartphone without MagSafe — and with only two cameras
This is where the real surprises begin.
The MagSafe mystery
In the group photo where all three devices are lying side by side, the iPhone Ultra is noticeably different: it lacks the MagSafe ring on the back panel. This can mean one of two things:
- The smartphone does not support MagSafe accessories at all
- Or it supports wireless charging, but without the magnetic attachment of the MagSafe standard
Why does this matter? MagSafe is not just charging, but an entire Apple ecosystem standard: cases, wallets, car mounts, external batteries. The absence of MagSafe in the most expensive iPhone in history — if confirmed — will be a controversial decision.
However, there is an important caveat here: dummy units are made from CAD drawings, where functional elements — for example, the MagSafe coil — may simply not be marked. It is too early to draw final conclusions.
Only two cameras — in the most expensive iPhone
Another surprising fact: only two camera modules are visible on the back panel of the iPhone Ultra. The current iPhone 17 Pro Max has three cameras (main, ultrawide, telephoto). At the same time, the foldable iPhone Ultra is positioned as the most premium device in the lineup — and is expected to become the most expensive iPhone in history.
Two lenses instead of three in the most expensive smartphone — that is unexpected. A possible explanation: in a foldable form factor with a thin hinge mechanism, it is difficult to fit a large triple-camera module. Apple may have deliberately sacrificed the number of cameras for the sake of thinness and build quality.
Another possibility: the two rear cameras are supplemented by one or more front-facing cameras when the device is folded — and in the end the total number of lenses is greater.
iPhone Ultra dimensions: almost like an iPad mini, but thinner
When the iPhone Ultra lies unfolded next to an iPad mini, the difference in size is smaller than one might expect. The width of the unfolded Ultra is approximately equal to the length of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, while the height of the device is 111.5 mm.
The comparison is striking: the unfolded iPhone Ultra takes up an area close to that of the iPad mini, but thanks to significantly thinner bezels, the difference in actual screen space will be small.
This confirms that the iPhone Ultra is a full-fledged device for working with documents, media content, and multitasking, rather than just a “large smartphone.”
What dummy units are and how much they can be trusted
Dummy units are non-functional plastic or metal mockups of real devices. Accessory manufacturers receive them from suppliers in Apple’s production chain long before the announcement so they have time to design and launch cases, screen protectors, and other accessories.
What such mockups reflect accurately:
- Overall dimensions and body shape
- Placement of buttons and ports
- The shape and size of the camera island
What may differ from the final device:
- Functional elements (MagSafe coil, antennas)
- Exact surface finish and materials
- Small details that appear later in the manufacturing process
So, these mockups can be trusted when it comes to dimensions and shape. The absence of MagSafe in the dummy unit is a suspicious signal, but not a final verdict.
The full picture of the fall 2026 lineup: what will be announced in September
According to current leaks, Apple will announce three devices simultaneously in September 2026:
- iPhone 18 Pro — the standard Pro version with variable aperture
- iPhone 18 Pro Max — the larger Pro with a significantly thickened camera module
- iPhone Ultra — the first foldable iPhone, likely Apple’s most expensive device
Meanwhile, the base iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and iPhone Air 2 will appear much later — only in spring 2027. Apple is deliberately separating the premium and mass-market segments in time.
In brief: the key takeaways from the dummy units leak
- iPhone 18 Pro Max — the design is unchanged, but the camera module is thicker: 13.77 mm versus 12.92 mm in the previous-generation Pro Max
- iPhone Ultra — the MagSafe ring is missing (the reason is still unclear)
- iPhone Ultra — only two cameras on the back panel (unexpected for the most expensive iPhone)
- Ultra dimensions — unfolded, it is close to the iPad mini in footprint, height 111.5 mm
- Announcement: September 2026, together with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max
- Source: Vadim Yuryev (X), CAD mockups from accessory manufacturers
Article prepared by the TechVisor team — practical IT media for people.
