Apple is set to host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week, and the iOS 27 preview could offer the clearest sign yet that a foldable iPhone is coming, according to a report by CNET.
According to a Bloomberg report cited by CNET, Apple's foldable iPhone will feature an iPad-like interface when opened. It could support running two apps side by side and add sidebars to many apps. iPhones have never run multiple apps simultaneously on screen, and if Apple demonstrates that capability at WWDC, it would strongly suggest a larger-screen device is on the way.
The report also notes that a Siri update is expected to be a centerpiece of the conference, with the assistant anticipated to finally deliver on capabilities that were promised years ago.
Current iPhones already offer a Dynamic Island feature that surfaces key information without leaving an active app, but that falls short of true split-screen multitasking. CNET notes this limitation is one reason the 6.9-inch display on Pro Max models may not be used to its full potential.
Competing Android foldables have pushed multitasking much further. The Oppo Find N6, for example, allows users to run two apps side by side with a third open in full-screen at the bottom. Its Free-Flow Window feature takes it further still, letting users run up to four apps in resizable windows at the same time. Oppo and OnePlus introduced a version of that three-app setup back in 2023.
For Apple to take full advantage of a larger foldable display, iOS 27 would need to offer more than a simple split-screen option. Window management, resizable app panels, and better keyboard behavior in multitasking mode are among the features that competing devices have already normalized.
WWDC 2026 begins next week. If Apple does demo split-screen or floating window multitasking on iPhone for the first time, it will likely be one of the more closely watched moments of the conference.
