As we’re expecting Apple to launch its first public betas for iOS 26 and other platforms of version 26, sources are also expecting Apple to kickstart development on the next version of iOS, which will be iOS 27, really soon. This time, the main objective for development towards iOS 27 will focus largely on optimizing software features for the upcoming iPhone Fold. The iPhone Fold will be the next most exciting thing from Apple, especially for the iPhone product category, since hardware updates for the iPhone have felt minimal year to year, to say the least, and the design for the iPhone has felt largely the same since. With a growing market of foldable smartphones, Apple is geared up to launch its own foldable sometime later next year. We expect Apple to publicly launch iOS 27 in September 2026 – the same time we expect the company to launch its first “iPhone Fold.” So the timing is still on point.
Details remain unclear since it’s very early in the development stage, but here’s what Mark Gurman has to say about the upcoming device in his weekly Powered On newsletter:
In fairness to Apple, its foldable phone won’t be a carbon copy. As I reported months ago, the company is focused on addressing a few of the foldable category’s longstanding weaknesses. The company aims to make the inner display crease less visible and dramatically improve the hinge mechanism. And as part of the development of iOS 27 — which formally kicks off soon — Apple will prioritize software features tailored specifically to this new form factor.
As usual, Apple isn’t the first in the market, but it’s going to be the best at whatever product or feature it introduces. Ming-Chi Kuo and other sources have rumored that this “iPhone Fold” will pioneer breakthrough features such as a crease-free display and innovative liquid metal hinge. Kuo also expected the device to feature an approximately 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch outer display, so the inner display would roughly be as large as that of an iPad mini while the outer display would roughly be as large as that of an iPhone mini. So you would have the flexibility or best of both worlds; however, don’t expect the device to come cheap, as this will feature cutting-edge technology, so a price range between $1,500 and $2,000 shouldn’t come as a surprise.
We’ll surely gather more rumors and speculations for this upcoming device. Follow us on X for more Apple-related news.
