First Foldable iPhone Will Be Launched in 2026 with Ultrafine Design and No Face Recognition

Written by Caio Aviz

Published on 02/09/2025 at 17:00

Imagem ilustrativa mostra a sombra de um iPhone dobrável com ponto de interrogação, simbolizando as incertezas sobre o novo design ultrafino da Apple.

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New Model Will Hit The Market With Expressive Sales Projections

The Apple Foldable iPhone, expected in 2026, is already generating huge anticipation in the technology market.

According to information released by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, known for anticipating the company’s trends, the device will no longer feature the Face ID facial recognition system, which has been present since 2017.

The change is linked to the reduced thickness of the model, which makes it impossible to integrate the necessary sensors.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Technical Decision Favors Ultra-Thin Design

According to Kuo, the main differentiator of the new iPhone Fold will be its compact design.

The device is expected to be between 9 and 9.5 mm thick when closed and 4.5 to 4.8 mm open, confirming the challenge.

With these reduced measurements, the integration of Face ID became unfeasible.

Although there were rumors about the adoption of an under-display fingerprint sensor, similar to those used in some Android models, Kuo refuted the possibility.

According to the analyst, the solution still faces high production costs and technical limitations that prevent large-scale implementation.

Launch Timeline and Sales Projections

The project for the foldable iPhone is expected to be completed by mid-2025, with mass production anticipated for late 2026.

The launch will coincide with the iPhone 18 line.

Estimates point to initial sales between 3 and 5 million units in the first year, a number considered significant for a novel device.

In addition, projections indicate that by 2027, with the arrival of the second generation, sales could reach up to 20 million units.

Ming-Chi Kuo’s History with Apple Predictions

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has distinguished himself by anticipating various moves of Apple, although not always with complete accuracy.

In previous reports, he claimed that the foldable iPhone would be launched in 2024 and would feature Touch ID under the display.

These claims were revised in light of technical obstacles and changes in the company’s priorities.

The return of the fingerprint sensor on the side button reinforces Apple’s strategy to prioritize ultra-thin design even at the expense of already established technologies.

Competition in the Foldable Market

Apple’s bet on this new format comes in a competitive landscape, especially as other giants have consistently and innovatively occupied space in this segment.
Currently, Samsung and Huawei dominate the foldable smartphone market, further strengthening interest in consumer preference.
Despite this, Apple advances with an innovative design and focus on user experience, demonstrating a clear intention to redefine standards.
Furthermore, even without Face ID, the iPhone Fold promises to be a significant player among the major tech launches in the second half of the decade.
Therefore, by aiming boldly and strategically at this niche, Apple enhances its competitiveness and challenges the established leaders in the industry.

First Foldable iPhone Will Be Launched in 2026 with Ultrafine Design and No Face Recognition

New Model Will Hit The Market With Expressive Sales Projections

Technical Decision Favors Ultra-Thin Design

Launch Timeline and Sales Projections

Ming-Chi Kuo’s History with Apple Predictions

Competition in the Foldable Market

Will the Removal of Face ID Win Over Apple Users or Generate Resistance Among Brand Fans?

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First Foldable iPhone Will Be Launched in 2026 with Ultrafine Design and No Face Recognition

New Model Will Hit The Market With Expressive Sales Projections

Technical Decision Favors Ultra-Thin Design

Launch Timeline and Sales Projections

Ming-Chi Kuo’s History with Apple Predictions

Competition in the Foldable Market

Will the Removal of Face ID Win Over Apple Users or Generate Resistance Among Brand Fans?

A giant printer called the “Ferrari” of concrete has landed in Latin America and can already build a 120-square-meter house in just 48 hours, making the traditional construction site look like something from the last century.

Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt has ceased to be a climatic phenomenon and has become a biological system that feeds on itself, with 8,000 kilometers in length, 37 million tons of algae, and scientists confirm that it is now permanent.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Brazil will harvest a record crop of up to 357 million tons of grains, but it does not have the capacity to store a large part of it. The storage deficit has reached the highest level in history and is equivalent to almost the entire production of Argentina.

Engineers had to pour concrete mixed with tons of ice throughout entire nights in the Dubai desert to erect the Burj Khalifa; any carelessness could clog the pipes half a mile high.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

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