Foldable iPhone Under-Screen Touch ID Rumor Dismissed by Analyst

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is standing by his prediction that Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature Touch ID integrated into the side button rather than an under-display fingerprint sensor.

In a post on X (Twitter) today, Kuo referenced his March forecast for the rumored 2026 device: "Six months ago, I predicted the foldable iPhone would use side-button Touch ID." Kuo goes on:

"There are now market rumors that it will adopt an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, but I think that's unlikely. It's expected that Luxshare ICT will supply the side-button Touch ID module for the foldable iPhone."

Kuo's original prediction outlined a book-style foldable iPhone with an approximately 7.8-inch inner display and 5.5-inch outer screen, priced between $2,000 and $2,500. He suggested Apple would skip Face ID authentication to save internal space in the folded design. Apple has already used side button-integrated Touch ID for the iPad Air and iPad mini, so the design choice is not unprecedented.

Camera-wise, the foldable iPhone is expected to include a dual-lens rear camera, with a front-facing camera for both folded and unfolded states, according to Kuo.

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Both Kuo and fellow analyst Jeff Pu say mass production is planned for the second half of 2026. Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman has said he expects the device to be launched next year in the fall season.