Foldable iPhone with Touch ID? Apple is preparing a return to the past

Foldable iPhone in 2026

Rumours about a foldable iPhone have been circulating since 2017, when the first Apple patents related to flexible displays began to surface online. Now Bloomberg reports that 2026 will be a breakthrough moment – that is when we are expected to see the first iPhone with a foldable screen. Interestingly, it will not only feature a new design but also a return to a function that many thought was definitively abandoned: Touch ID.

The Return of Touch ID – Apple Enjoys Such Moves

The last iPhone with Touch ID was the iPhone SE 3 from 2022. After that, Apple consistently focused on Face ID, and users gradually became accustomed to the absence of a physical button. So why the return? We don't know the official reasons, but we've seen a similar story before – in 2020, along with the iPhone 12, the company refreshed the MagSafe brand, previously known from MacBooks. Apple loves such "nostalgic returns" that strengthen the marketing of new devices.

Screen Technology – in-cell instead of on-cell

According to leaks, Apple has abandoned the on-cell technology, where the layer of touch sensors is located above the display. Instead, they have opted for in-cell, which means integrating the sensors directly into the screen. This is significant for foldable devices – making the smartphone thinner and the bend less noticeable.

The first foldable iPhone is expected to be available in four colour variants: white, black, light blue, and light gold. Rumours also suggest four cameras, placing it closer to the Pro line than the standard models.

And what about before? iPhone Air in 2025

Before we await the foldable, already in September 2025 Apple is set to unveil a new product – the ultrathin iPhone Air. This will be something completely different: only one camera, a basic A19 chip, and a minimalist design. It sounds like an experiment in the spirit of the iPhone 5C or the first MacBook Air – devices that were designed to test whether the market would accept more unconventional solutions.

History likes to repeat itself

It's worth reminding that the first iPhone from 2007 had neither Face ID nor Touch ID – just a regular passcode. Touch ID only appeared in the 2013 iPhone 5s and became a breakthrough at that time. Now, more than a decade later, it returns in the most futuristic iPhone we've ever seen. It's a beautiful bookend for Apple fans: from a simple fingerprint to the flexible screens of the future.