Gurman Leaks 4 iPhone 18 Pro Colors, Restoring Black Ahead of Apple Event

Q: Why did Apple abandon Face ID for its ultra-thin, $2,000 first-generation foldable iPhone Duo?

Apple appears to have dropped Face ID on the iPhone Duo because the foldable’s ultra-thin design leaves too little internal space for the full Face ID hardware stack. Multiple reports cited ahead of Apple’s event, including from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, say the Duo is expected to be about 4.5mm thick when unfolded. In a device that thin, Apple reportedly could not comfortably fit the TrueDepth components used for Face ID while also making room for the foldable display, hinge system, battery, cameras, and antenna layout. The reported workaround is Touch ID built into the side button, similar to Apple’s approach on the iPad Air, iPad mini, and entry-level iPad. That choice is widely described not as a preference shift, but as an engineering compromise to preserve internal volume in a first-generation foldable. The foldable’s book-style construction likely made the tradeoff sharper. Space on the side rails is already crowded by the hinge, power button, and volume controls, while Apple is also trying to reduce crease visibility and keep the chassis durable. Reports say Apple prioritized thinness and the foldable form factor over keeping Face ID in this model. Apple has not officially confirmed the reason or the final biometric system. But based on the pre-event reporting, the answer is straightforward: the Duo is so thin and space-constrained that Face ID was sacrificed to make the hardware design work.

3 articles · Updated · 9to5Mac · Sep 9

Four colors are expected for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max — Black, Light Blue, Silver and Burgundy — according to Mark Gurman’s latest post on X before Apple’s “Surprise and shine” event.
Black’s return is the key shift: last year’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup offered only 3 colors and dropped the traditional black option, a change some Pro buyers disliked.
The leak also points to Apple expanding back to 4 Pro finishes after last year’s reduced palette, even as earlier rumors had conflicted over whether the fourth option would be Black or Silver.
The report adds to Gurman’s broader pre-event leaks, which have also included color details for Apple’s foldable iPhone Duo expected to debut at the same launch.