iOS 27 will Focus on Features for Apple’s First Foldable Phone

Apple doesn’t jump on trends. It waits, watches, and then enters when the timing feels right. That might be what’s happening now. After years of foldables from Samsung and others, Apple is finally preparing its move—with iOS 27 playing a key role.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple is gearing up to start iOS 27 development with a very specific goal in mind, optimizing it for foldables.

A Foldable iPhone Is Finally on the Way

All signs show Apple launching its first foldable iPhone by late 2026, likely alongside the iPhone 18 lineup. And it’s not going to be a clamshell like the Flip—it’s the full book-style foldable, like Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold.

Here’s what we know so far:

• It will have a 7.8-inch inner screen that folds like a mini tablet
• Samsung is rumored to supply the OLED panels
• Apple’s working to remove the visible crease
• It could be just 4.8mm thin when open—one of the slimmest foldables yet
• The price? Expected to stay under $2,000

It’s not just about the hardware though. Apple knows software needs to pull the weight too.

iOS 27: Designed Around the Fold

Current versions of iOS aren’t made for foldables. No support for two screens. No fluid transitions between folded and unfolded states. No real multitasking experience. That’s what iOS 27 is expected to fix.

Gurman reports that Apple is rethinking iOS to make it work for foldables, with features like:

• Smoother transitions between screen modes
• Improved multitasking support
• Smarter app layouts that adapt to different screen sizes
• Better scaling, gestures, and animations

Basically, everything you’d expect from a good foldable experience—but the Apple way.

Is Apple Late, or Just on Time? 

Samsung is already on its seventh generation of foldables. Their latest one, the Galaxy Z Fold 7, just hit record-breaking pre-orders in South Korea. Foldables aren’t just fancy concepts anymore. They’re getting thinner, more durable, and come with solid specs. People are finally seeing them as actual phones, not just tech experiments.

Apple is clearly late to this game. But maybe that’s not a bad thing. The foldable market is finally maturing, especially in places like China. And as history shows, when Apple joins a segment, it often brings mainstream attention and polish.

But here’s the catch…

Is Betting iOS 27 on Foldables Too Much?

These phones are still expensive. Even if Apple brings the price down, a $2,000 foldable will remain niche. Most iPhone users won’t be upgrading to one anytime soon.

So the big question is: is it worth building an entire OS update around a product only a small percentage will buy?

That’s the risk. And Apple knows it.

Luckily, iOS 27 isn’t just about foldables. It’s also expected to debut Apple Intelligence—the company’s full-on push into AI. So even if you’re not into folding phones, there’s still plenty to look forward to.