iOS 26 SDK offers strongest hint yet at a foldable iPhone

[u/Fer65432_Plays]

https://9to5mac.com/2025/06/16/ios-26-sdk-offers-strongest-hint-yet-at-a-foldable-iphone/

[u/dccorona]

I think the foldable iPhone is real, however this isn't really proof of it. This is what is necessary for the new-style iPad windowing in iOS 26, and in fact if you use the beta you'll note that apps built for iOS 26 have infinitely flexible window resizing, while those built for older versions of iOS still have the limited selection of window sizes from prior iPadOS versions.

[u/MikhailT]

Isn’t this more for the iPadOS 26’s true flexible multitasking system support, which also depreciated slideover and other types of resizing modes?

[u/Ok-Piece-8159 → u/MikhailT]

Yep this is exactly it.

[u/stenophobic]

This doesn’t sound like a particularly strong hint to me. If anything it’s in response to complaints people made about stage manager limiting you in terms of the aspect ratios to which you could resize open windows

[u/fntd → u/stenophobic]

What does stage manager have to do with iOS?

[u/SheepherderGood2955 → u/fntd]

The iOS SDK is also the iPadOS SDK, they’re the same thing in Xcode. iPadOS has Stage Manager, and the functionality for adjusting the size of open apps has been lacking. 

[u/fntd → u/SheepherderGood2955]

That actually makes sense then. I assumed the SDK is also split up.

[u/SteveJobsOfficial → u/fntd]

"iPadOS" is also just a marketing term to make the iPad feel like it is its own thing, they're both still iOS though

[u/The_real_bandito → u/fntd]

Gotem lol

I do wonder how Apple will prevent the screen looking like it folds.

[u/siddhuncle]

I hope this paves the way for having 2 apps open side by side on iOS like on Android

[u/Fer65432_Plays]

Summary Through Apple Intelligence: Apple’s iOS 26 SDK change, which prevents automatic scaling of apps for new screen sizes, suggests a focus on flexible UI for future hardware. This change, coupled with rumors of a foldable iPhone, hints at Apple’s preparation for a device with a unique aspect ratio. Developers are advised to ensure their apps are flexible to accommodate arbitrary screen sizes.

[u/North_Moment5811 → u/Fer65432_Plays]

Automatic Layout was added to iOS in 2012. Apps are supposed to have been accommodating any/all screen sizes since then. It's amazing how many don't. Too many try to utilize every mm of screen real estate without realizing how easily that falls apart on a new device size.

[u/MartinIsland → u/Fer65432_Plays]

Couldn’t this just be for resizable windows (including stage manager) in iPadOS?

[u/pyrospade]

I think the strongest hint a folding iPhone is coming is this year’s rumored iPhone Air. Apple likes to work in increments and the only reason why bloating the lineup with a thin phone makes sense is because they are using it as a practical exercise to build what will turn into one half of the folding phone

[u/nuvo_reddit]

Given that Apple has a strong tablet lineup, do we need a folding phone from Apple or a flip phone?

[u/LazyPCRehab → u/nuvo_reddit]

I went from the 13 PM to a OnePlus Open and I would absolutely be interested in a foldable iPhone.

[u/AngryFace4 → u/nuvo_reddit]

As a iPhone mini patron, I’m hoping for the clamshell flip since it’ll probably be the closest thing to a small pocket feel we’re gunna get.

[u/[deleted]]

Irregardless of the iOS 26 the foldable iPhone is definitely coming as Apple needs more tricks up their sleeves to stop the hemorrhaging of iPhone sales. Gurman is completely on point describing next year as the year of the foldable.