New iPhone Fold leak reveals Touch ID is making a comeback
Apple's first folding phone is expected to launch in late 2026
Apple’s upcoming foldable iPhone could resurrect Touch ID
❌ The company’s first folding phone won’t have Face ID sensors
🤳 Instead, it’ll have a Touch ID-equipped power button
📸 Other rumors include four different cameras, a new 5G modem, and no physical SIM slot
📱 The device is expected to have a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch folding display
📅 The iPhone Fold is rumored to launch in late 2026
Apple might resurrect Touch ID on the iPhone with the iPhone Fold. The company’s first folding phone, which is expected to launch next year, will stick with a fingerprint scanner over Face ID, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter, Gurman says that the phone will have a Touch ID button on the side (like the power button), which is similar to what the entry-level iPads have now. This marks yet another time we’ve heard the phone will ship with Touch ID; a number of rumors in the past predicted such as well.
Touch ID hasn’t been around on flagship iPhones since the days of the iPhone 8 in 2017. The iPhone SE secretly carried the technology up until this year, when the device was replaced by the Face ID-equipped iPhone 16e. This would mark the first high-end iPhone to come with the sensor in nearly 10 years.
Why isn’t Face ID coming to the iPhone Fold? Rumor has it that Apple simply doesn’t have a good place to put it. Not only is it hard to hide the sensors in the folding display (which is expected to be very thin), but there’s also the question whether you place the sensors in the folding screen or outer display. If you open the phone without unlocking first on the outer screen, you have to enter your PIN, for example. A Touch ID sensor would be a much easier solution for keeping your device secure while having the choice to use either display at will. It’s what every other foldable does anyway, so why fix something that isn’t broken?
📱 More iPhone Fold leaks
The iPhone Fold will also come with four cameras, according to Gurman. There will be two rear cameras, one selfie camera on the front display, and one in the folding display. There will also be a C2 5G modem, the rumored next-generation version of Apple’s C1 modem that debuted in the iPhone 16e. The phone is also rumored to skip physical SIM slots altogether, and while colors haven’t been finalized, Apple is reportedly testing white and black as potential finishes.
That’s in addition to other iPhone Fold rumors we’ve heard. The device is said to have a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.58-inch folding screen, complete with an invisible crease thanks to an advanced hinge mechanism. It’ll likely be made from titanium.
It’s said that the first foldable iPhone will debut in late 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Air. The regular iPhone 18 could be delayed until early 2027 to make way for the iPhone Fold, although those rumors are a bit sketchy.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.