Apple’s foldable iPhone could trade Face ID and camera power for a thinner design

Apple’s rumoured foldable iPhone could introduce a radically redesigned form factor, but reports suggest buyers may have to accept Touch ID, a less capable camera system and a higher price.

Apple’s long-rumoured foldable handset, referred to here as the iPhone Duo, is being cast as one of the company’s boldest redesigns in years. The concept combines a compact 5.4-inch exterior display with a larger 7.6-inch folding panel, and Apple is said to be redesigning the software to make the two-screen format feel seamless. Yet the device also appears set to demand a level of compromise that many iPhone buyers have not had to consider before.

Among the most significant changes is the move away from Face ID. Reports from Macworld and iThinkDiff say Apple has chosen Touch ID built into the side button instead, a decision that appears to be driven by the difficulty of fitting the required facial authentication hardware into a foldable frame. That shift may suit the thinner design language of a folding phone, but it also removes one of the most familiar conveniences of modern iPhone use. Macworld also says the device will rely on an under-display FaceTime camera, underlining Apple’s effort to reduce visible hardware even as it accepts the trade-offs that come with it.

The camera system is another area where the iPhone Duo seems likely to sit below Apple’s top traditional models. According to the supplied reports, the main rear array does not include a telephoto lens, and LiDAR is also absent. iDownloadBlog says the device lacks several other premium features found elsewhere in Apple’s range, while Tom’s Guide notes that the selfie camera and under-display front camera are likely to be more modest in quality than buyers of a high-end iPhone might expect. For people who use an iPhone chiefly for casual photography and social media, these omissions may be acceptable. For users who depend on zoom performance, depth sensing or pro-level imaging tools, they are more difficult to ignore.

The software limitations appear to reinforce that positioning. The lead article says the iPhone Duo may not include advanced creator-focused features such as ProRAW or spatial video, which would mark it out as less of a professional imaging device and more of a content consumption product. Tom’s Guide also describes the foldable as Apple’s most expensive phone yet, while other reporting points to concerns over weight, battery life, a visible crease and the broader durability questions that still surround foldable screens. That leaves Apple with a familiar challenge: delivering a device that feels futuristic without asking buyers to overlook too many practical drawbacks. For some, the novelty of a foldable iPhone will outweigh the compromises. For others, especially those who value Face ID and the most capable camera system, the price of admission may be too high.