Foldable iPhone Reportedly Launching In 2026 With Four Cameras And Touch ID

A report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman provides us with some new details regarding Apple's rumored foldable iPhone. Writing in his Power On newsletter, Gurman relays that Apple's foldable iPhone will open horizontally, similar to how the Pixel 10 Pro Fold opens.

The device will reportedly boast an 8-inch display when opened, though it's worth noting that other reports claim it may be closer to a 7.8-inch display. When closed, the device will reportedly feature a 5.5-inch cover display as well. As a point of comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has an 8-inch screen when folded open and a 6.5-inch cover screen.

Echoing previous reports, Gurman writes that the device will incorporate Touch ID as opposed to Face ID. The Touch ID sensor will likely be embedded into the device's power button, similar to what we've already seen Apple do on some iPad models. Incorporating Touch ID instead of Face ID is likely a strategic choice designed to cut down on cost and to maximize space for other internal components like the battery pack.

Touch ID also makes sense from a usability perspective. Consider the following: Touch ID on the power button makes user authentication possible whether the device is opened or closed. If Apple wanted to incorporate Face ID as an authentication method, it would presumably need to incorporate a Face ID sensor on the outside and inside of the device.

When closed, the foldable iPhone will function just like a regular iPhone, complete with a camera sensor on the front and two advanced sensors on the rear of the device. When opened up, users will be able to enjoy a larger display while still being able to take selfies and participate in video calls thanks to an additional camera on the inside of the device. Altogether, Gurman writes that the device will boast an array of four cameras.

Foldable smartphones have gotten impressively thin in recent years, and Apple's own design may be particularly impressive. According to reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is aiming to keep the total thickness of the foldable iPhone somewhere in the 9-9.5 mm range. That would make it thinner than the recently unveiled Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold and about as thin as the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is just 8.9 mm thick when closed.

When unfolded, Kuo anticipates that the foldable iPhone will be about 4.5-4.8 mm thick. That's a hair thicker than the Z Fold 7 which is 4.2 mm thick when opened. To put these sizes into context, note that the iPhone 16 is 7.8 mm thick. Assuming there are no hiccups in production or late-stage development, Apple's foldable iPhone is slated to arrive by the fall of 2026.