iOS 27: Landscape mode for many Apple apps Apfelpatient

Until now, users who rotated their iPhones sideways only saw the same portrait view in many Apple apps. With iOS 27, this changes: A whole range of pre-installed apps now support landscape mode – a step that could have far-reaching implications beyond mere convenience.

iOS 27 unlocks landscape mode in significantly more of Apple's pre-installed iPhone apps than before. What seems like a small convenience improvement fits into a larger narrative: landscape-compatible apps would be the ideal foundation for the anticipated foldable iPhone Ultra, whose large inner screen would particularly benefit from flexible orientation. Interestingly, landscape mode on the iPhone isn't a new invention – Apple is bringing back a feature that used to be more commonplace.

Which apps now run in landscape mode

The list of newly supported apps is long. It includes Apple Music, Podcasts, Fitness, Health, Reminders, Home, Shortcuts, the Apple Watch app, Find My, Weather, Voice Memos, and the Apple TV Remote – and that's just a small sample. For now, landscape mode support in Apple Music and Podcasts is limited to the audio player.

Many apps display a left-aligned sidebar in landscape mode. The Messages app already supported landscape mode in iOS 26 and earlier; the new feature is that the sidebar can be collapsed to show only names and profile pictures. While some apps previously supported landscape mode - such as Maps, Calendar, Files, Notes, and Mail - iOS 27 extends this support to significantly more applications.

Landscape format also suitable for live activities

Beyond individual apps, iOS 27 extends landscape mode support to live activities in Dynamic Island. This means that running displays such as timers, delivery status, or sports scores remain usable even when the iPhone is held sideways.

How to activate landscape mode

No special setting is needed: To use landscape mode in a supported app, simply rotate your iPhone sideways. The only requirement is that portrait mode lock is disabled in the Control Center – otherwise, the view will remain fixed.

A return with a long history

Landscape apps were far more common on the iPhone many years ago. For example, the home screen on the iPhone 6 Plus, 6s Plus, 7 Plus, and 8 Plus even supported landscape mode – a feature that ended with the iPhone X. In that respect, iOS 27 is harking back to an older tradition rather than breaking entirely new ground.

Pioneers of the foldable iPhone Ultra

The real appeal lies in the strategic interpretation. The fact that Apple is making so many apps landscape-compatible right now could be preparation for the foldable iPhone Ultra, which, according to reports, is also slated for release in September – coinciding with the final version of iOS 27. A foldable device with a large inner display would directly benefit from apps that can flexibly switch between portrait and landscape modes. iOS 27 is still in beta, but the direction Apple is taking its app interfaces is already apparent. (Image: Apfelpatient)