Apple may not have announced a foldable iPhone at WWDC26, but its first iOS 27 developer beta appears to have done plenty of talking for it.

Code found inside the iOS 27 framework includes direct references to “foldState”, “angleDegrees” and “mechanicalAngleDegrees” – terms that strongly suggest Apple is preparing its operating system to understand whether a device is folded, partly opened, or being used across more than one display.

The references were first spotted by developer Sam Henri Gold and have since been independently confirmed by several Apple watchers. They were not present in iOS 26.

Another string reportedly checks the total number of built-in displays on the host device. That is notable because every iPhone Apple has sold to date has had one integrated display.

iOS 27: Everything We Know | MacRumors

A book-style foldable iPhone, by contrast, is expected to feature a large internal display and an external cover screen.

The findings add weight to long-running reports that Apple is preparing its first foldable iPhone, potentially for launch alongside the iPhone 18 range later this year.

Apple also used its Platforms State of the Union developer session to push app makers toward more flexible layouts. Developers were told to design for a “dynamic range of sizes and aspect ratios”, rather than fixed devices and orientations.

That message was framed around resizable iPhone apps in iPhone Mirroring on macOS and on iPad. But it also sounds like the software groundwork needed for a device that can shift between a standard phone-sized screen and a larger unfolded tablet-style display.

Apple has taken a similar approach before, preparing developers for new screen sizes and product categories before the hardware officially arrived.

The company is entering a category already shaped by Samsung, Google and Huawei, but expectations for a foldable iPhone will be higher.

Rumours have pointed to a thinner book-style device, a less visible crease, a premium hinge design and a price tag likely to sit well above current Pro Max models.

Apple has not confirmed any foldable iPhone plans and code references do not guarantee an imminent launch.