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Nine days before the unveiling of the first foldable iPhone, an accessory has been revealed that will likely never make it to market. Apple has built and tested its own stylus for the iPhone Ultra – shorter than those used in iPads, attaching magnetically to the side. Several reasons argue against its release, one of which lies in the display itself.
The iPhone Ultra is the most thoroughly scrutinized Apple product of the year: colors, battery design, hinge, camera position, and launch date have leaked over months, forming a largely complete picture of the foldable iPhone. A stylus, however, was conspicuously absent from this picture. It was revealed in the latest edition of Bloomberg's Power On newsletter, in which Mark Gurman describes how far Apple has internally explored the idea – and why it will likely remain shelved.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Apple designed, built, and tested an Apple Pencil for the iPhone Ultra.
- The stylus is shorter than the iPad versions and charges magnetically on the side of the casing.
- A market launch is considered unlikely; it is not expected to be available for the presentation on September 9th.
- Reasons given include the inconvenient handling, potential marks on the internal display, and Apple's own history with styluses.
- Samsung removed stylus support from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for the same reason: the necessary sensor layer adds to the overall height.
A shorter pin that docks laterally
The tested stylus is not a smaller version of the Apple Pencil Pro. It has a more compact design because the iPhone Ultra, when unfolded, is significantly thinner than an iPad. Like the iPad models, it charges and stores magnetically on the casing – but along the long side.
According to the report, this is precisely where the first practical problem arises. On the iPad, the stylus sits at the top in landscape mode and doesn't get in the way when holding the device. On the unfolded iPhone Ultra, it protrudes from the side, exactly where the hand grips the device.
The second point concerns the inner display. The foldable layer is more delicate than the glass of an iPad, and a hard stylus tip leaves visible marks on it. Gurman describes both of these factors as the reason why the testing will not result in a product.
Why pens and foldables rarely go together
Apple isn't the first manufacturer to fail at this combination. Samsung supported the S Pen on its large foldable phones since the Galaxy Z Fold 3 – and removed the feature again with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 in July 2025. The company confirmed to Android Authority at the time that the digitizer layer under the display had to be removed to make room for it.
This layer detects the position of the stylus and adds about half a millimeter, depending on the design. In a device whose entire sales pitch hinges on its thickness, that's a significant amount. Samsung used the extra space for thicker cover glass, thus improving durability.
It's unclear whether the iPhone Ultra even uses such a layer. The report doesn't specify, and a stylus that doesn't have a digitizer would be a technically different approach than the current Apple Pencil.
What the testing reveals about Apple's planning
Prototype and product are two different things, and Gurman himself clearly states that he doesn't expect a product launch. His track record regarding Apple's internal product plans has been consistently high over the years, and the information comes from sources within the company – but that doesn't make the report proof of an upcoming product. It describes a discarded option, not a roadmap.
The direction is interesting. In eleven years, Apple has never expanded the Apple Pencil beyond the iPad, even though patents have long described its use on other devices. The fact that the question resurfaces with the first foldable iPhone is due to the unfolded surface – and that's precisely why the issue will arise again with the second generation.
Nothing will change for you before September 9th: The stylus isn't on the accessory list for the September event, and anyone planning to use the iPhone Ultra for taking notes should expect to use their finger. Would you even use a stylus on an unfolded iPhone – or is the screen too small, even in the foldable format? Tell us in the comments how you would write on the large display.
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