Apple may have quietly revealed one of its biggest iPhone changes yet through the first iOS 27 developer beta. New code references found in iOS 27 suggest that the company is preparing support for a foldable iPhone, widely rumored to launch as the iPhone Ultra.
The references include terms such as “foldState” and “angleDegrees,” which appear to point to a device with a hinge and multiple folding positions. Another discovery includes a check for the number of built-in displays, which would make little sense for a regular iPhone but fits with a foldable design that uses an outer display and a larger inner screen.
These references were not present in iOS 26, making their appearance in iOS 27 more notable. While Apple has not officially announced a foldable iPhone, the code strongly suggests that the software is being prepared for new hardware beyond the current iPhone lineup.
Apple also used its WWDC 2026 developer sessions to push app resizability more aggressively. The company told developers to build apps for a wider range of sizes and aspect ratios instead of fixed screen layouts. That guidance fits with a foldable iPhone, where apps would need to adapt smoothly between a cover display and a larger unfolded screen.
The rumored iPhone Ultra is expected to use a book-style foldable design, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup. Reports have suggested it could feature a roughly 7.8-inch inner display, a 5.5-inch outer display, side-by-side multitasking, iPad-like layouts, a titanium frame, a Liquid Metal hinge, Touch ID, dual rear cameras, Apple’s A20 chip, and a C2 modem.
The foldable iPhone is expected to be Apple’s most expensive iPhone yet, with some reports pointing to a starting price above $2,000. If it launches this year, it could arrive alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max in September, while the standard iPhone 18 models may follow later.
For now, this remains a software clue rather than an official confirmation. Still, iOS 27 appears to be laying the groundwork for Apple’s first foldable iPhone in a way that is difficult to ignore. After years of rumors, the iPhone Ultra now looks closer than ever.
