Is Apple Launching a Foldable iPhone with Side Touch ID in 2026?

Apple is preparing to introduce its first foldable iPhone in 2026, with industry sources indicating a book-style design similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup. The device, internally referred to as V68, will include both a cover display and a larger foldable inner screen. Reports suggest the external display could measure 5.5 inches, while the internal panel may span 7.8 inches. The folded thickness is estimated at 9mm–9.5mm, reducing to 4.5mm–4.8mm when unfolded.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo highlighted Apple’s potential biometric approach for the foldable model. Kuo stated that the company could reintroduce Touch ID via a side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button, rather than using an under-display solution. Apple supplier Luxshare ICT is expected to provide these side-button modules. The foldable iPhone may omit Face ID, relying solely on Touch ID for authentication, following patterns seen in foldable devices from Samsung, Google, and Vivo.

The foldable iPhone is expected to be powered by Apple’s next-generation A20 chip. According to 9To5Mac, the processor will use TSMC’s 2nm process, offering improvements in energy efficiency and performance over the A18 and A19 chips. If confirmed, this will make it among the first devices to ship with a 2nm architecture.

Camera specifications for the foldable iPhone may include a quad-camera system. The rear module could feature a 48MP primary sensor paired with either an ultra-wide or telephoto lens. Front-facing cameras on both the cover and inner displays may use 24MP sensors for selfies.

Additional hardware details indicate that the foldable model may adopt Apple’s second-generation modem, reportedly named C2, following the C1 modem used in the iPhone 16e. eSIM-only support is expected, eliminating physical SIM card slots.