Foldable phones have long been a playground where companies like Samsung and Huawei have boasted for years, while Apple fans watched from afar, waiting for the moment the company decides to enter this arena in its own unique way. It seems this long wait is nearing its end! According to exciting discoveries within the latest developer beta of iOS 27, Apple’s first foldable iPhone might be just around the corner, and we may see it officially this fall.
Software evidence that doesn’t lie: iOS 27 exposes Apple’s upcoming plans
The story began when the renowned software researcher @M1Astra managed to dive deep into the iOS 27 files intended for developers, discovering a set of codes and terms that leave no room for doubt. These hidden files included explicit references to terms such as: “foldState”, “mechanicalAngleDegrees”, and “angleDegrees”, in addition to “MGGetLogicalDeviceDisplayCount”.
These codes mean one clear thing: Apple’s upcoming operating system is fully capable of understanding whether the phone is folded or unfolded, determining the opening angle precisely, and knowing the number of active screens the device is using at that moment. Since these codes appeared in iOS 27, which was just unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the most logical conclusion is that Apple’s first foldable device will run on this system right out of the box.
The competition is fierce, and the “thickness” obstacle looms
While Samsung and Huawei have over five years of experience in manufacturing this category of phones, Apple’s late entry puts immense pressure on it and very high expectations from users. One of the biggest challenges facing foldable phones is the device’s thickness; having a large second screen is great, but it loses its appeal entirely if the phone turns into a heavy brick that is difficult to put in a tight pair of jeans (especially in women’s clothing, which seems designed under the assumption that women don’t carry anything in their pockets!).
Therefore, Apple must solve this difficult equation: delivering a foldable device that retains the elegance and thinness of the standard iPhone without sacrificing durability.
iPhone Air might be the magic key to eliminating thickness
Fortunately, Apple hasn’t been wasting time; last year, the company unveiled the iPhone Air with its stunning thinness of just 5.6 mm (equivalent to the thickness of four coins stacked on top of each other). If Apple adopts this revolutionary design for its foldable phone, combining two iPhone Air screens together would result in a device only 11.2 mm thick when closed!
This figure simply means that Apple will outperform all previous Samsung foldable phones in terms of thinness, with the exception of the Korean company’s latest dual-screen model, the Galaxy Z Fold7. It is a true display of the engineering prowess that Apple has always been known for.
Will we see the foldable iPhone this fall?
Reports and leaks reviewed by writer Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch indicate that the launch might be much closer than we imagine. The presence of these codes in the current beta version means that Apple is preparing developers and giving them the necessary tools to update their apps on the App Store to be compatible with the multi-screen and folding environment before the official unveiling expected this coming September.
Now, the ball is in Apple’s court to present us with its long-awaited masterpiece and prove that the delay in arrival was for the purpose of delivering a complete product free of the flaws that plagued competing phones in their early days.
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