Apple hasn't even announced the iPhone 17 yet, but for some of you, you're looking at what comes after. A bit like how it feels we barely get a moment's rest from Call of Duty until the next game comes out, Apple has set the precedent of annual iPhone releases.
Although there's been plenty of chatter about what the iPhone 17 will entail and its divisive new Liquid Glass update, others are saving their dollars and waiting for an even bigger overhaul that's rumored to come alongside the iPhone 18.
The yearly reveal of the iPhone is about as big as it gets in the tech world, but just like we'll have to act surprised when the rumored iPhone 17 Air is finally unveiled in 2025, the long-awaited announcement of a foldable iPhone won't exactly be a secret.
Following early whispers of a 2026 release for a foldable iPhone, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo took to X to explain a little more about how a foldable iPhone could work. As reiterated by Gizmodo, Apple is tipped to release a foldable iPhone in 2026, followed by an all-glass device in 2027 – marking the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
Both of these are merely hearsay for now, although various sources claim the ultra-thin iPhone 18 Fold will have a minimal crease, include two cameras on the back, and start at around $2,000. Well, that's if President Trump's tariffs don't get in the way.
According to Kuo, the foldable iPhone could bring back Touch ID. Apple's fingerprint technology was abandoned with the release of the all-screen iPhone X in 2017.
Reports of the Fold having a Touch ID sensor first circulated in March, and updating followers on September 1, Kuo addressed rumors that the device will have an 'under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor'. Kuo explains: "I think that’s unlikely. It’s expected that Luxshare ICT will supply the side-button Touch ID module for the foldable iPhone."
Gizmodo notes that most foldable phones come with side-mounted fingerprint sensors, noting how it's easier to unlock a screen and get into apps no matter how you use a phone, working both when folded and unfolded.
It's not a universally adopted approach, as Chinese vendor Vivo includes optical under-display fingerprint sensors on phones like the Vivo X Fold3 Pro. That particular model has a sensor under the external cover screen and another under the foldable panel.
There's a drawback of Vivo having to compromise internal space for sensors and potentially affecting battery life, while under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensors aren't known for their reliability.
Even though there are patents that show Apple has dabbled with the idea of under-display sensors, it's more likely to stick with side-mounted Touch ID sensors like we've seen on the iPad mini and iPad Air.
Others ask whether a foldable iPhone could include Face ID, although device thickness could be a problem here. The lids of MacBooks are said to be too thin, and if the iPhone 18 Fold is as petite as it's rumored to be, Face ID simply might not fit.
Added to this, we'd need a sensor on both the outer and inner displays to cover both forms, meaning space and battery would also have to be compromised.
With at least a year until a foldable iPhone is likely to be announced, we've got plenty of time to speculate.
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