Software engineers M1Astra and Sam Henri Gold discovered references to a foldable smartphone in the iOS 27 beta source code, strongly suggesting Apple is developing the long-rumored iPhone Ultra. The code contains strings like "foldState" and "angleDegrees" that indicate the system can detect how much the device is opened, pointing to hinge-based hardware rather than a simple flip phone design.

These technical details reveal the iPhone Ultra will likely support Flex Mode functionality similar to Samsung's foldables. Users could partially close the device to use it hands-free for video watching or typing with a split-screen interface. The discovery also explains why iOS 27 introduced full-screen widgets and an updated iPhone Mirroring feature designed for larger displays.

Bloomberg's M1Astra notes that several iOS 27 features will work significantly better on the Ultra's foldable form factor. Full-screen widgets currently occupy entire displays but would logically adapt to half-screens on a foldable device. The iPhone Mirroring capability now supports iPad-sized windows, which aligns with a larger, flexible display.

This code evidence validates months of speculation that Apple will finally enter the foldable smartphone market this fall. The iPhone Ultra will likely debut alongside the iPhone 18 series, marking a significant shift in the company's mobile strategy and directly challenging Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold dominance.