Apple Readies $2,000 iPhone Duo Foldable for October Shipping

Q: Why is Apple reportedly ditching its signature Face ID for the most expensive, highly anticipated iPhone launch in history?

Apple is reportedly dropping Face ID on its foldable iPhone because the device is designed to be extremely thin, leaving too little internal space for the TrueDepth hardware that Face ID requires. Multiple reports cited in the rumor cycle say Apple’s first foldable is targeting an unfolded thickness of roughly 4.5 to 4.8 millimeters. Face ID is not just a software feature; it depends on a multi-part sensor array, including infrared and depth-mapping components, that takes up more room than a standard front camera. In a book-style foldable, that space problem is harder because Apple would likely need the system to work in both folded and unfolded use cases, adding further design complexity. The reported replacement is Touch ID built into the side or power button, an approach Apple already uses on several iPads. That solution is more compact, works whether the phone is open or closed, and helps Apple preserve the slim profile that appears to be one of the device’s main selling points. So the move looks less like Apple abandoning Face ID on principle and more like a hardware trade-off. Reports also suggest the foldable already involves other compromises tied to its thin, premium design, including a dual-camera setup without a telephoto lens and possibly fewer external hardware features than top conventional iPhones. Apple has not confirmed any of this yet, so the explanation remains based on consistent pre-launch reporting rather than official specifications.

3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Sep 9

$2,000 is the reported starting price for Apple’s foldable iPhone Duo, with the 256GB base model expected to begin shipping in October.
Mark Gurman reported the details hours before Apple’s first iPhone launch event under CEO John Ternus, with the device also said to come in white and dark blue.
The foldable is expected to run side-by-side iPhone apps, support iPad-like multitasking and work with Apple Pencil, pointing to a larger-screen productivity pitch.
At that price, the iPhone Duo would sit above the $1,899 Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, but below Samsung’s $2,099.99 Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.