Apple iOS 27 Developer Beta Leaks iPhone Ultra References—When Will It Release?

A report has claimed that it has found lines of code pointing towards the iPhone Ultra within iOS 27's Developer Beta, said to confirm the existence of the foldable smartphone within Apple.

Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote unveiled iOS 27 to the world and released the Developer's Beta version, but for coders, they used this opportunity to dive into what the latest showcase has in store in the future.

This has led to the iPhone Ultra's supposed discovery.

Apple iOS 27 Developer Beta Leaks iPhone Ultra Reference

The iOS 27 beta and its developer frameworks contain references that were not present anywhere in iOS 26, according to a new report by 9to5Mac. The existence of these references has been verified by the publication, and it is confirmed that this is not a misread of existing code.

The foldable iPhone, which has also been referred to as the iPhone Fold, has been the subject of leaks and rumors for months, but this marks the first time Apple's own software has surfaced any direct indication of the device.

The iPhone Ultra is expected to support side-by-side app multitasking and iPad-like app layouts when unfolded. Those features would require the operating system to handle a fundamentally different display configuration, which makes their appearance in the beta all the more significant.

Leaker Discovers Foldable iPhone Reference in iOS 27

Software engineer Sam Henri Gold was among the first to spot the specific strings embedded in the iOS 27 frameworks.

The code includes references to "foldState" and "angleDegrees," along with a new check designed to retrieve the total count of built-in displays on a device. None of those parameters make sense for any iPhone currently on the market, but they make complete sense for a device with two screens connected by a hinge.

Gold shared the findings on X, and the response from the developer community was immediate. The sarcastic reactions online summed it up well, with many pointing out that these strings are about as subtle as Apple could get when unintentionally confirming something.

When to Expect the iPhone Ultra From Apple?

With iOS 27 confirmed to launch this fall alongside the iPhone 18 lineup, the most straightforward scenario is that Apple would announce the iPhone Ultra at its usual September event. That is where Apple introduces new iPhones every year, and folding the Ultra into that same event would give it the biggest possible stage.

If Apple is not ready for a September launch, it could follow the same path it took with the Vision Pro, which was announced at WWDC 2023 but did not go on sale until February 2024.

A fall announcement with a 2027 release is another possibility that has been floated by analysts. Apple has also made standalone special announcements outside of its regular event calendar before, which could give the iPhone Ultra its own dedicated moment.

And if none of those windows pan out, 2027 marks the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone, and the foldable device was previously speculated to be one of the possible announcements that Apple will make.

That milestone alone could be reason enough for Apple to save its most ambitious iPhone yet for that occasion.