On Monday, Apple released iOS 27 beta 5 to developers on Monday after a weeklong delay, bringing another round of changes and refinements ahead of the update’s public release next month. But hidden inside the software are also some interesting clues about what Apple has planned for the iPhone over the coming months.
Macworld has found references to six unreleased iPhone models in the latest iOS 27 beta, including the entire iPhone 18 family, iPhone 18e, iPhone Air 2, and iPhone Ultra. While none of these products have been officially announced by Apple, the references provide perhaps the clearest evidence yet of what the company has planned for the next generation of iPhone.
Six new iPhones hidden in iOS 27
The references were found in system files related to the iPhone’s battery drivers and Battery Intelligence features. Alongside existing iPhone models, iOS 27 beta 5 explicitly lists six unreleased devices using Apple’s internal codenames:
- V62: iPhone Air 2
- V63: iPhone 18 Pro
- V64: iPhone 18 Pro Max
- V67: iPhone 18
- V68: iPhone Ultra
- V69: iPhone 18e
Although this isn’t the first time a beta version of iOS has revealed details about upcoming hardware, this appears to be the first time the entire iPhone 18 lineup has been explicitly mentioned in the internal code of the iOS 27 beta. The codenames also align with previous leaks and reports from other sources about the next generation of the iPhone.
The folding iPhone Ultra is expected to debut at Apple’s fall iPhone event.
Foundry
The references don’t reveal specifications or other details about the new devices. However, their presence inside battery-related system components makes sense, as Apple needs to prepare iOS for the various new configurations and power-management characteristics of new hardware before those products reach customers.
For instance, earlier beta versions of iOS 27 revealed support for foldable displays and even multiple batteries, both features not found in any current iPhone hardware.
Apple is changing the iPhone release schedule
Unlike previous years, Apple isn’t expected to introduce its entire next-generation iPhone lineup at once.
Rumors suggest the company will focus on its premium models this fall, with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max arriving alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone. Macworld previously reported that Apple will likely call this new foldable device the “iPhone Ultra,” and the latest iOS 27 beta once again uses that name internally.
Neither the regular iPhone 18 nor the entry-level iPhone 18e is expected to be released until early 2027. A second-generation iPhone Air is also in the works, but is unlikely to be announced this fall. Still, today’s leak confirms that Apple has been actively working on these devices.
Apple is expected to announce its fall event in just a couple of weeks, so this could be one of the last betas before iOS 27 arrives in mid-September. Of course, Apple’s plans can always change, but seeing a product’s codename listed in beta software is usually a strong indication that it’s almost ready for release.
