Apple may not have officially announced a foldable iPhone at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, but hidden references discovered inside the first developer beta of iOS 27 have reignited speculation that the company is preparing to enter the foldable smartphone market.

While much of the attention following WWDC has focused on Siri AI and the expansion of Apple Intelligence, developers examining the software have uncovered code that appears to describe the behaviour of a device capable of folding and unfolding.

The findings have strengthened long-standing rumours surrounding a foldable iPhone, sometimes referred to in reports as the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra.

Hidden Code Hints At Folding Hardware

According to reports, software researcher M1Astra identified several references inside the iOS 27 beta that point towards a foldable device.

Among the strings reportedly discovered are terms such as “foldState”, “mechanicalAngleDegrees” and “angleDegrees”, suggesting that the software can track how far a device is opened around a hinge.

Developers also found references in Apple’s repair tools that mention components including a secondary display, an additional glass cover and dual light sensors.

Individually, the clues may appear insignificant. However, taken together, they resemble the hardware architecture commonly associated with foldable smartphones currently offered by rival manufacturers.

Apple itself made no mention of such a device during its WWDC keynote, leaving the discoveries open to interpretation.

iOS 27 Features Could Be Preparing For Bigger Screens

Several of the features officially announced alongside iOS 27 have also prompted speculation that Apple may be preparing its software ecosystem for a larger, more flexible display.

Apple introduced expandable widgets that allow apps such as Music, Weather and News to occupy the entire screen. While these additions benefit existing devices, they could become even more useful on a foldable smartphone with significantly more display area.

Similar clues have emerged from macOS 27. Apple has updated iPhone Mirroring, enabling users to resize the mirrored iPhone interface into a wider format that resembles an iPad-sized display.

Observers believe this functionality could eventually support a foldable iPhone experience.

Apple also announced a new App Adaptability framework designed to help developers optimise applications for different screen sizes and aspect ratios. Although the company did not link the framework directly to foldable hardware, the technology could prove essential for devices with unconventional displays.

Rumours Around Foldable iPhone Continue To Grow

Reports suggesting Apple is working on a foldable iPhone have circulated for years, but speculation has intensified ahead of the expected launch of the iPhone 18 series later this year.

Industry analysts have previously indicated that Apple has been carefully studying the foldable market while waiting for display technology and durability standards to mature.

The latest software discoveries have added fresh momentum to those rumours, with some observers arguing that Apple may already be laying the groundwork for a new category of devices even before making an official announcement.

For now, the company remains silent about its foldable ambitions. However, if the references hidden inside iOS 27 are indeed related to future hardware, they suggest Apple is quietly preparing its software ecosystem well in advance of unveiling what could become one of its most significant product launches in years.

As with all discoveries based on developer code, the clues should be treated with caution, since Apple frequently tests features and device support internally without necessarily bringing them to market. Still, the findings offer perhaps the strongest indication yet that the era of the foldable iPhone may be drawing closer.

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