“When the company introduces its first foldable iPhone at the end of next year, it will be entering a product category that’s already seven years old—pioneered and dominated by its biggest hardware rival, Samsung Electronics Co. And this time, Apple won’t be debuting a radically new interface or transformative hardware,” writes Gurman.

According to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple is prioritizing iOS 27 development with a focus on features tailored to the upcoming foldable device, which is reportedly set to debut next year. Despite the shift in priorities, Gurman says users shouldn’t worry about a lack of user interface innovation in iOS 27.

Sales growth has slowed. The market segment is “tired”. But will the technology titan’s collapsible handset give the company the flex it needs?