iOS 27 Beta References Point to Foldable iPhone

Apple has released the first developer beta of iOS 27, and references in the update code point to features apparently related to a future foldable iPhone. These system references were not present in iOS 26 and indicate handling of fold state, hinge angle, and multiple built-in displays.

Sam Henri Gold spotted the find, and 9to5Mac confirmed the presence of these mentions in iOS 27 beta and developer frameworks. The code includes terms like foldState and angleDegrees, along with a check for the total number of built-in screens. For standard iPhones, such parameters have no obvious purpose but directly suit a device with a flexible display and a book-style form factor.

The first foldable Apple smartphone is expected to be called the iPhone Ultra. According to rumors, it will support a multi-window mode with apps running side by side, as well as larger interface elements in the style of the iPad. If these expectations materialize, iOS 27 will be the first system version where Apple has preemptively laid the foundation for a new iPhone form factor.

The iOS 27 update will roll out to all users in the fall, but the appearance of such references in the first beta shows that Apple is actively readying the system for a foldable device. Even if the company hasn't directly announced the iPhone Ultra yet, code traces like these usually appear when developers and internal teams already need support for new scenarios.

For Apple, this could be one of the biggest changes in iPhone history. A foldable format requires not just new hardware but also a different interface logic: apps must adapt to the unfolded screen, account for the hinge angle, and work correctly when transitioning between external and internal displays. The parameters found in iOS 27 point exactly to those scenarios.

For now, this is not an official confirmation of the device but indirect evidence in software code. However, if the leak is accurate, Apple is already preparing iOS for its first foldable iPhone, and the iPhone Ultra could become not just a new model but the start of a separate device category within the company's ecosystem.