Apple foldable iPhone launch reportedly imminent
▼ Summary
– Hidden files in the iOS 27 developer beta suggest Apple’s foldable iPhone may launch this fall.
– The iOS 27 code contains references to fold state, mechanical angle, and display count, indicating software support for a foldable device.
– Apple’s first foldable will face high expectations, as Samsung and Huawei have produced foldables for over five years.
– Consumer concerns about foldable thickness, especially for easy pocket storage, may challenge the appeal of a second screen.
– Two iPhone Air screens, each 5.6 mm thick, would create an 11.2 mm foldable, thinner than most Samsung foldables except the Galaxy Z Fold7.
Hidden code within the iOS 27 developer beta suggests that Apple’s much-anticipated foldable iPhone could be closer than ever to a public release. Researcher @M1Astra uncovered references to terms like “foldState,” “mechanicalAngleDegrees,” “angleDegrees,” and “MGGetLogicalDeviceDisplayCount,” all of which point to software designed to detect whether a device is folded out, the precise angle of its hinge, and how many screens are actively in use.
This discovery indicates that any potential foldable device would ship running iOS 27, the operating system unveiled during Monday’s WWDC keynote. While Apple has yet to release a foldable phone, competitors like Samsung and Huawei (the latter banned in the U. S.) have been refining this form factor for over five years. That means Apple’s first entry into the category will carry enormous expectations, especially regarding device thickness.
For many consumers, the appeal of a second screen is weighed against the practicality of pocketability. Women’s clothing, notoriously designed with minimal storage, makes a slim phone a necessity. Apple has already demonstrated its ability to shrink hardware with last year’s iPhone Air, which measures just 5.6 millimeters thick , roughly the height of four stacked dimes. If Apple applies that same engineering to a foldable, two iPhone Air screens combined would measure about 11.2 millimeters, making it thinner than every Samsung foldable except the latest Galaxy Z Fold7.
With a possible fall launch on the horizon, the industry is watching closely to see if Apple can deliver a foldable that balances innovation with everyday usability.
(Source: TechCrunch)
