- Some key details of the folding iPhone have leaked
- Expect four cameras, two colors, and Touch ID
- We’ll probably see the handset launch in 2026
At this point it seems almost certain that Apple is going to bring out a foldable iPhone in September 2026, and we just got a few more details about what to expect from an Apple tipster who is usually more reliable than most.
That tipster is Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, who says that the folding Apple phone is going to use Touch ID rather than Face ID. While all the current iPhones now use Face ID, the thinking is that the required sensors would add too much thickness to the foldable.
Apple is therefore going to go with Touch ID to keep the device as thin as possible, Gurman says, and there’ll be no SIM card slot for the same reason – this is going to be eSIM only. Previous leaks have predicted the phone will be 4.8 mm thick when unfolded, compared to the 4.2 mm of the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7.
This latest report also states we’re going to get four cameras on the folding iPhone: one on the outer screen, one on the inner screen, and two on the back (which will both be 48MP cameras, according to an earlier rumor).
Creasing up
If past reports are to be believed, one of the reasons a foldable iPhone has taken so long is because Apple is very keen to make the screen crease as invisible as possible, and it seems the company now has a display setup it’s happy with.
As per Gurman, the folding iPhone is going to use what’s known as an in-cell touchscreen, with an integrated display and digitizer layer. That would make the screen tech similar to what we have on the current iPhone models, ensuring a “less obvious” crease and improving touch accuracy.
Other tidbits from the report: the folding iPhone will be available in black or white, and will include Apple’s own C2 modem chip that’s expected to debut in the iPhone 17 (and which should lead to improved efficiency and battery life).
Gurman says the foldable iPhone will be a “game changer” for Apple, and his belief is that anyone who makes the switch to a folding iPhone won’t want to go back. First though, we’re got this year’s iPhone 17 launch coming up next month.