Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is shaping up to look and feel very different from today’s models—and one of the biggest changes could be the complete absence of Face ID. According to a new claim from a Weibo tipster known as “Momentary Digital,” Apple is expected to swap the TrueDepth Face ID system for a side-mounted Touch ID sensor on the so-called iPhone Fold.
If accurate, the shift won’t be a simple styling choice. It’s reportedly tied to the realities of foldable phone engineering and the kind of premium price buyers may be looking at. Early chatter suggests Apple’s first foldable could land around $2,399 when it arrives, potentially alongside the iPhone 18 lineup next year. At that level, design decisions like biometric security and display camera placement will matter more than ever.
Why Apple may drop Face ID on the iPhone Fold
The tipster points to two main reasons Apple may abandon Face ID for its first foldable iPhone.
First is usability. A side-mounted fingerprint reader can be easier to access in a foldable form factor, especially when you’re switching between folded and unfolded modes. Depending on how you’re holding the phone, a power-button Touch ID sensor can be quicker and more consistent than facial recognition—particularly if the device is partially folded or positioned at an angle.
Second is cost. Face ID relies on a more complex sensor array than a fingerprint scanner, and fitting that hardware into a foldable chassis—while also trying to keep the device thin—can drive engineering complexity and manufacturing expenses. Using Touch ID could help Apple control costs on a product that’s already expected to be expensive.
Camera cutouts instead of under-display tech
Another notable detail: the iPhone Fold may skip under-display camera technology entirely. Rather than hiding cameras beneath the screen, the report claims Apple will use punch-hole camera cutouts on both the inner and outer displays, with the cutouts positioned centrally.
That said, the camera placement on the main inner screen may not be perfectly centered in practice. The tipster claims the front-facing camera on the primary display will sit toward the right side, suggesting Apple is still balancing layout constraints like hinges, display layers, and sensor placement.
Potential crease challenges still in testing
One detail missing from this latest claim is whether Apple has solved one of the biggest foldable phone complaints: the visible crease. Recent speculation suggests Apple has been testing Ultra-Thin Flexible Glass but has faced technical hurdles in fully eliminating the crease. If the company is still refining materials and hinge structure, that could explain why some design elements remain in flux.
A step toward Apple’s full-screen iPhone future
If the iPhone Fold really adopts punch-hole cameras, it could mark a major visual turning point for the iPhone. Apple has relied on a notch or pill-shaped cutout for years, and moving to a punch-hole design would signal a clear push toward the company’s longer-term full-screen ambitions.
That broader redesign is rumored to culminate in 2027 with a more radical aesthetic shift—reportedly tied to a “four-sided bending design” expected around the iPhone 20 era. Whether or not that timeline holds, the iPhone Fold could be the first major step in that direction.
For now, none of these details are confirmed by Apple, but the consistent themes—Touch ID returning in a new form, punch-hole cameras, and foldable-specific design compromises—paint a clearer picture of how Apple may approach its first foldable smartphone.
