Apple’s iOS 27 beta 5 reportedly contains internal references to six unreleased iPhone models, offering an unusually broad glimpse at hardware the company has yet to announce. Macworld first reported that the identifiers appear in battery-related system files alongside references to existing iPhones.
The codes align with previous reporting that has linked them to the iPhone 18 family, a second-generation iPhone Air, and Apple’s expected foldable iPhone. They also fit reports that Apple may be preparing a wider lineup with launches spread across fall 2026 and spring 2027. The beta does not reveal final product names, specifications, prices, or release dates, and Apple has not announced any of the devices.
Six codes map Apple’s expanding iPhone lineup
The identifiers are said to be V62, V63, V64, V67, V68, and V69. The Information’s reporting on Apple’s iPhone roadmap previously linked them to these planned devices:
- V62: second-generation iPhone Air
- V63: iPhone 18 Pro
- V64: iPhone 18 Pro Max
- V67: iPhone 18
- V68: foldable iPhone
- V69: iPhone 18e
Macworld’s analysis of the beta found the identifiers in Battery Intelligence and battery-driver files. Their presence suggests the projects remain represented in Apple’s software development, although internal references do not establish whether every device will ultimately ship.
V68’s retail name remains uncertain. Reports use both “iPhone Fold” and “iPhone Ultra,” but Apple has confirmed neither. TechRepublic has been tracking Apple’s expected foldable iPhone as multiple reports have pointed to a 2026 launch window for the company’s first folding handset.
The foldable could also broaden the range of screen sizes and form factors that developers and enterprise IT teams support within Apple’s mobile ecosystem. Applications that behave differently across screen configurations or multitasking modes could require additional validation once Apple publishes specifications and developer guidance.
The codes seem to reinforce a changing release strategy
Battery-related software offered an earlier clue about Apple’s foldable plans. On July 20, iOS 27 beta 4 introduced system strings referring to multiple batteries in an iPhone. Foldable phones commonly divide battery capacity between sections of the device, although Apple has not confirmed that the strings refer to its unannounced handset. Earlier TechRepublic coverage also examined foldable-related clues found in iOS 27.
The six identifiers also align with reports that Apple may stagger its next iPhone release cycle. Current reporting points to a fall 2026 launch for the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and foldable, with the standard iPhone 18, iPhone 18e, and redesigned second-generation iPhone Air reportedly targeted for spring 2027. Apple has not confirmed those launch windows.
TechRepublic previously reported that the standard iPhone 18 could shift to 2027, a change that would break from Apple’s usual practice of concentrating major numbered iPhone launches in the fall.
A split rollout could spread device testing, mobile device management validation, app compatibility checks, and procurement across separate release windows. Organizations that standardize employee iPhones could also face different evaluation and purchasing cycles for mainstream and premium hardware.
Until Apple announces the devices and publishes compatibility requirements, the six identifiers remain an early view of its development roadmap rather than a firm fleet-planning timetable.
Read more: Apple’s lineup could expand further after this cycle, with reports pointing to an even broader iPhone family in 2027 as the company reshapes how and when it introduces new models.