Apple's Foldable iPhone May Skip Face ID for Touch ID

As the year 2025 comes to an end, the anticipation for the first folding iPhone is at an all-time high. Apple is expected to unveil the new phone in 2026, and its mass production appears to have already begun. Now, a new report has given us a glimpse as to what the smartphone will pack in terms of hardware.

iPhone Fold to feature Touch ID instead of Face ID

As per Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station (DCS), the current folding iPhone prototype is being prepped with a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. This comes after Ming Chi Kuo's recent claim that the iPhone Fold will feature Touch ID instead of Face ID. Now, while Kuo's report didn't highlight the exact reason for this change, DCS has expanded on that front.

According to the post, to ensure that the debut foldable iPhone is sleek and thin, Apple is said to have made this decision. Even the likelihood of an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner is being taken out of the equation for the same reason. So, expect the iPhone Fold to feature a thin body and a side-mounted Touch ID.

Moreover, even though the smartphone will be considerably slim, it is not going to miss out on durability. DCS claims that the current prototype has a very strong hinge design. The Cupertino brand was earlier reported to use durable Liquid Metal parts and a custom internal metal plate for a crease-free iPhone Fold display.

These plates will be made by South Korean supplier, Fine M-Tec and are intended to minimise creases by distributing the bending stress for a more "crease-free" experience. There has also reportedly been an Apple Samsung partnership for the production of foldable OLED panels for the upcoming book-style foldable iPhone. 

Aside from that, the smartphone is also expected to make use of an under-display selfie camera for the inner 7.58-inch screen. The outer 5.25-inch display will continue to feature a punch-hole camera. It can also bring a dual 48 MP rear camera setup.

That said, while the brand hasn't confirmed anything, as per leaks and reports, the foldable iPhone launch date is expected to be set for late 2026. It could cost somewhere between $2,000 and $2,500 as per initial reports.