Apple iPhone X Plus May Come With iPad-Like Landscape Mode, iOS 12 Beta Hints

Apple is expected to launch new iPhone models next month, but as usual, the rumours are still pouring in from all corners. While much about the 2018 iPhone family has already been leaked, one of the rumours for the new models is that the Cupertino giant could be planning to introduce a 6.5-inch variant, much bigger than the current iPhone X model. Apart from the change in display size, a new report suggests that there could be changes in terms of software functionality where the handset could come with iPad-like landscape mode support. The current iPhone X model is 5.8-inch in size and does not support a landscape mode, but only supports limited app interfaces in that mode. The new report based on evidence found in iOS 12 Beta also reaffirms that one of the 2018 iPhone models will feature a screen resolution of 1242x2688 pixels.

As per a report in Brazilian site iHelpBR, the recent beta version of iOS 12 and XCode suggest that the 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus will come with a landscape mode. Apple on Tuesday released the fifth developer beta of iOS 12 for compatible iPhone and iPad models. The folks at iHelpBR forced the iOS Simulator tool to run at a resolution of 1242x2688 pixels with 458ppi and found that several native apps have been adapted from portrait mode to landscape mode. Stock apps such as Calendar, Contacts, and Messages were found to be optimised for a broader landscape layout. This hints at Apple's plans to treat the iPhone X Plus as it does with the other large-display products, taking full advantage of a larger display. It also reaffirms previously rumoured 1242x2688 resolution.

In comparison, Apple's current 5.8-inch iPhone X users an 1125x2436 pixels resolution but it does not support landscape mode, even though it has a bigger display than the iPhone 8 Plus. The lack of a landscape layout has been an issue that many iPhone X users face, but that is a problem that the company appears to solve with the 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus. However, there is no information on whether the feature will also be available for the other variants that are expected to launch this year.

Apple is preparing to release a trio of new smartphones later this year: the largest iPhone ever, an upgraded handset the same size as the current iPhone X and a less expensive model with some of the flagship phone's key features. The three iPhone variants this year could be a 6.5-inch OLED model, a 6.1-inch LCD model, and a 5.8-inch OLED model.