Apple appears to be laying more groundwork for its first folding phone, widely expected to arrive under the iPhone Ultra name. According to a June 12 MacRumors report, iOS 27 landscape mode support has been expanded across more than a dozen Apple apps, including Apple Music, Podcasts, Health, and several system utilities.
Apple had already adapted a smaller group of apps for landscape use in iOS 26 and earlier releases. That earlier list included Apple Maps, Calendar, Files, Notes, and Mail. With iOS 27, the company is pushing the experience further, which makes sense if Apple is preparing for a larger-screen or foldable device.
The newly expanded iOS 27 landscape mode support reportedly includes Apple Music, though currently only in the audio player interface, and Podcasts, also limited to its audio player interface for now. Fitness, Health, Reminders, Home, Shortcuts, Apple Watch, Find My, Weather, Voice Memos, and the Apple TV Remote app are also on the list.
Many of these apps use a left-aligned sidebar layout when rotated into landscape orientation. That kind of interface makes better use of horizontal space and feels closer to the way iPad apps are typically structured. In Messages, the sidebar can now be collapsed, leaving a cleaner view that keeps only contact names and avatars visible.
Apple has also added landscape support for Live Activities in the Dynamic Island. That change helps make the sideways experience feel more complete, especially for users who keep a phone docked horizontally or who may eventually use a wider folding display.
MacRumors suggests the broad landscape push is likely preparation for Apple’s first foldable iPhone. If the device launches as the iPhone Ultra, Apple will need its core apps to work naturally across phone, tablet-like, and possibly partially folded layouts. Expanding landscape support now would give developers and users a smoother path into that hardware shift.
For U.S. users, the practical takeaway is simple: iOS 27 may make landscape use less awkward on current iPhones, while also hinting at where Apple’s hardware roadmap is heading. A foldable iPhone would need more than a new hinge; it would need an operating system and app ecosystem ready for bigger, wider screens.
