Apple plans to hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week, with expectations centered on a major Siri overhaul. While the prospect of an improved assistant is appealing after years of shortfalls, the iOS 27 preview may also signal the company's upcoming foldable iPhone Ultra.

iPhones have long lagged Android devices when it comes to genuine multitasking. Dynamic Island offers quick access to alerts without switching apps, yet it falls short of true side-by-side or layered app use.

These capabilities matter greatly for large foldable displays and even standard large phones. The underused screen space on 6.9-inch Pro Max models highlights this gap, but next week's WWDC may bring changes.

A recent Bloomberg report indicates the foldable iPhone will adopt an iPad-style interface when open. This could include split-screen app support and side panels in various apps. A demo of simultaneous app use at WWDC 26 would strongly suggest a larger-screen iPhone, ideally a foldable model.

Still, iOS 27 requires more than an iPad-like layout to fully leverage the expanded display. Drawing from years of foldable device use, here are targeted suggestions for Apple to optimize the bigger canvas.

Multitasking with smart window controls

The Oppo Find N6 stands out among foldables thanks to its matte display, strong battery life, and advanced multitasking tools. Beyond basic split view, the system supports running two apps side by side with a third in full screen below. This setup allows referencing a webpage on one side, viewing a PDF on the other, and typing in a notes app at the bottom.

The newest Oppo Find N6 advances further with Free-Flow Window, enabling up to four resizable apps at once. While four apps may seem excessive, the flexibility proves practical during travel when handling invoices, calculations, notes, and research simultaneously. Similar workflows help during meetings when cross-referencing documents and taking notes without constant app switching.

Bringing this to the iPhone Fold with an iPad-style taskbar at the bottom could turn the device into a pocket-sized iPad Mini when unfolded.

Additional iOS refinements for ease of use

The iOS 27 update is expected to refresh Siri, Search, Camera, Safari, Weather, Image Playground, and other areas. For the foldable iPhone's larger display, two system-level additions would help.

A persistent sidebar similar to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 would be valuable. Current foldables include this feature because it provides quick access to tools like contextual AI actions. Users can highlight screen content to create calendar events automatically from emails, avoiding manual entry. The sidebar also offers pop-up access to apps such as Files or Calculator without cluttering the main taskbar. A system-wide version would allow these conveniences across any app.

Extended folders like those from Honor would also improve app organization. These let users keep multiple apps in one tap while grouping them logically, supporting up to five apps in vertical or horizontal layouts. Most other Android versions limit this to three. On iPhone the closest options involve clustering icons or using Smart Stacks for widgets, but extended folders offer a cleaner middle ground.

These iOS 27 enhancements would improve usability on the coming foldable iPhone and better utilize its large screen. A first look at some features next week at WWDC 26 would be welcome alongside other updates.