One of the traditional phases of an iPhone rumor cycle is the arrival of dummy units. These non-functional early prototypes are made for design illustration and size comparison purposes, often by manufacturing partners and accessory makers rather than Apple itself. They can’t be used to run apps or anything of that sort. But they can still tell us a lot about the design of an upcoming product.
This week, for example, the tech YouTuber Vadim Yuryev posted photos of three new dummy units. So far, so relatively standard. He’s obtained metal dummies of all three late-2026 iPhones: the 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and iPhone Fold (or iPhone Ultra, as I’ll call it for the rest of this article). They look largely the way previous rumors have suggested they will, and have the expected design and external features: two rear-facing camera lenses on the Ultra, three on the Pro models, and no MagSafe on the Ultra. But Yuryev decided not to leave it there. He invited questions.
The subsequent AMA (or Ask Me Anything, from the Reddit ritual) is required reading for anyone interested in this year’s new phones. Here are some of the questions, and Yuryev’s answers.
Q: Will the new phones have larger camera lenses than the 17 Pro?
A: Yes.
Q: What’s the thickness of the Ultra when closed?
A: Exactly 11mm.
Q: So the Fold [Ultra] won’t be a unibody? More like the design of the iPhone Air with polished titanium, I assume?
A: Yes. What you said.
Q: Do we know [from the dummies] how much they will weigh?
A: No. These are much heavier.
Q: Is the 18 Pro the same size as the 17 Pro? Do old cases fit?
A: 0.36mm taller. 0.39mm wider. Same thickness. Loose-fitting or rubber cases might still fit, who knows?
Q: It will be in titanium, right?
A: Yes.
Q: If the Ultra truly is not going to have MagSafe that is going to be the biggest fail.
A: Yeah I don’t think they have room. Will have to rely on MagSafe cases.
Q: Any base [iPhone 18] dummy?
A: It’s identical to the iPhone 17 as far as I know. Probably just a smaller Dynamic Island and buttons moved around a bit to ensure that you have to buy a new case.
It isn’t clear how Yuryev is so sure about his answers, which you’ll notice encompass some facts that cannot be deduced from the dummies alone: the design of the baseline iPhone 18, for example, or the materials used for the new phones. He doesn’t name a source for the dummies themselves, or for the other information. So it’s probably best to regard these claims as unproven for the time being.
In any case these aren’t the first dummies we’ve seen for the late-2026 iPhone launches. As early as December, in fact, we got one for the iPhone Ultra, although we should emphasise that it was created by a 3D printing hobbyist based on leaked CAD files rather than by a company. So maybe that one doesn’t count.
Then in April, the prolific leaker Sonny Dickson posted images of dummies of the iPhone Ultra, 18 Pro, and 18 Pro Max, insisting these illustrated the final sizes of those three products. But this latest leak is the first to engage with commenters’ questions in such depth. It therefore gives us our best insight yet into the design and features of the late-2026 iPhones, which we currently expect to launch in September.
For all the latest info and rumors leading up to the launch, bookmark our regularly updated news hubs: iPhone 18 and iPhone Ultra. If you can’t wait that long, pick up a bargain on the current range with our roundup of the best iPhone deals.
