While Apple silicon has changed the game for the company’s product lineup (most notably the Mac), Apple’s overall design hasn’t changed all that much in recent years. Sure, the iPhone 17 Pro looks a little different than the iPhone 16 Pro, but for most, it might be the same. A MacBook Pro from 2026, meanwhile, looks exactly like one from 2022—you’ll have to use it to find out which M-series chip it’s running.
That could all change in the coming year. The rumor mill is predicting that Apple will introduce two brand new devices in the near future: The foldable iPhone and the touchscreen MacBook. These products will certainly provide a departure from Apple’s typical lineup, giving users their first opportunity to purchase devices with these features within the Apple ecosystem. Reports suggest that these devices will ship within this year’s update cycle — that is, in the iOS 27 and macOS 27 era. As such, many of us wondered if Apple would give a hint for it These new products at WWDC last weekWhen the company formally announced the upcoming updates. It didn’t happen – but the company may have given some hints that these devices are indeed on the way.
Reported by Mark Gurman of BloombergApple’s first betas for iOS 27 and macOS 27 contain evidence for the company’s upcoming foldable iPhone and touchscreen MacBook, respectively. While the OS doesn’t include flashing lights that scream “These products are coming soon!” Some are not specific subtle signs.
Evidence for the iPhone folds into Apple’s beta
Let’s first look at Apple’s hints about a possible folding iPhone. Gurman says the clearest piece of evidence here actually comes from macOS 27: The OS’s updated iPhone Mirroring app now lets you stretch windows to display an iPad-like window layout, while running the same iOS software. Although tailored for macOS users, this design suggests that Apple is considering different-sized windows for iOS, and, possibly, integrating large-formatted windows into a foldable device.
At the time, Apple was keen to encourage developers to design their software around “app adaptability”. This philosophy is about building apps to fit a wide range of screen sizes, and given that the iPhone really only has two aspect ratios to deal with at the moment, this advice has more to do with the upcoming iPhone fold. Perhaps the least obvious but most telling piece of evidence: there’s code within iOS 27 beta 1 that, according to Gurman, directly references a foldable device. It notes a product with “multiple displays”, more sensors and the ability to detect how “open” the device is. Unless Apple makes a MacBook running iOS, it undeniably looks like a foldable iPhone.
Evidence for a touchscreen MacBook in Apple’s beta
If you’re brave enough to test the macOS 27 beta on your Mac, you might notice a strange new feature: Apple now lets you pull down on different pages to refresh their content, similar to how it works on iOS and iPadOS. You can use your trackpad or mouse to drag down your inbox in Mail, for example, and find new messages. It’s a convenient way to simplify the UI across devices, but it also looks like Apple is porting touch-based gestures to macOS…perhaps in anticipation of a touchscreen Mac? This is Gurman’s first proof.
What do you think so far?
Second, there’s Sidecar, which lets you turn your iPad into an external display for your Mac. This is nothing new, but so what is What’s new is that macOS windows on your iPad are now touch-sensitive. Previously, you needed to use an Apple Pencil, mouse, or trackpad to interact with macOS on your tablet, but with the beta, you can interact with macOS through touch for the first time.
Finally, Siri’s “Find or Ask” interface appears as a pill on macOS, just as it does on iOS. In the latter, this is because the function resides in the Dynamic Island, which the Mac does not. Gurman says he has reported that Apple’s touchscreen MacBooks will come with a Dynamic Island; Therefore, this design choice supports his overall hypothesis.
When a foldable iPhone or a touchscreen MacBook could be released
Apple usually never officially announces its upcoming products until they are officially announced, so we can’t say for sure when these devices will arrive. Still, rumors of the imminent arrival of a foldable iPhone have been ubiquitous this year, and the iOS 27 beta only gave them a boost. You can expect the company’s first foldable to debut as part of Apple’s annual iPhone event, which is likely to take place in September.
It’s even harder to predict when a touchscreen MacBook might drop, since Apple never has a set schedule for its laptop announcements. For his part, Guman expects his arrival Late 2026 or early 2027.
