iPhone Fold Revealed: iPad-Like Multitasking, No Face ID

For years, Apple's foldable phone has been the tech industry's most anticipated rumor. Now, thanks to a detailed report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman - the most reliable Apple leaker in the business - we finally have a clear picture of what the iPhone Fold will look like, how it will work, and what Apple chose to leave out. The details are surprising, exciting, and in one case, genuinely controversial.

The Big Picture: Apple's First Foldable

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone Fold in the fall of 2026, marking the company's entry into the foldable smartphone market years after Samsung, Google, and Huawei. But Apple's approach, as usual, is distinctly its own.

Rather than simply adapting an existing iPhone into a folding form factor, Apple has apparently rethought what a foldable phone should be. The iPhone Fold is designed from the ground up around its unique dual-screen capability, with a software experience that goes far beyond anything competing foldables offer.

Gurman describes the iPhone Fold as Apple's "most ambitious iPhone ever" - a device that merges the best of iPhone and iPad into a single product.

iPad-Like Split-Screen Multitasking

The headline feature of the iPhone Fold is its multitasking system, which Gurman says is heavily inspired by Stage Manager and Split View on iPadOS. For more, see iOS 27 features built specifically for iPhone Fold. For more, see every other Apple product coming in 2026.

When the iPhone Fold is unfolded, the inner display - measuring approximately 7.8 inches - becomes a canvas for running two apps simultaneously, side by side. Unlike Samsung's Galaxy Fold, which offers a watered-down version of Android multitasking, Apple's implementation is said to be deeply integrated into iOS. For more, see Apple's March 2026 event recap.

Key multitasking features include:

• True Split View: Two full apps running side by side with resizable dividers
• Floating windows: Apps can float over content, similar to iPad's multitasking
• App continuity: An app open on the cover display automatically expands when you unfold the phone
• Drag and drop: Move text, images, and files between apps with a finger
• Keyboard support: Full keyboard and trackpad support for productivity workflows

Apple is also reportedly bringing a version of Stage Manager to the iPhone Fold, allowing power users to arrange up to four app windows on the inner display simultaneously. This would effectively make the iPhone Fold more capable than some iPad models for multitasking.

The Cover Display: Slim, Functional, Capable

The iPhone Fold's cover display - the external screen visible when the phone is closed - measures approximately 5.5 inches diagonally and uses Apple's latest OLED technology with ProMotion 120Hz refresh rates.

Gurman reports that Apple designed the cover display to handle most everyday tasks: messages, calls, notifications, music controls, and quick camera shots. It runs the same version of iOS as the inner display, with apps automatically adapting their layout based on screen size.

This is a different philosophy from Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold, whose cover display has historically felt cramped and underutilized. Apple's cover screen is said to be tall and narrow, optimized for one-handed use, and capable of running any App Store application.

The cover display also serves as the primary camera viewfinder - a detail that has implications for the Face ID decision (more on that below).

The Controversial Decision: No Face ID

Here is where the iPhone Fold gets genuinely interesting - and controversial. According to Gurman's sources, Apple has decided not to include Face ID on the iPhone Fold.

This is a significant departure. Face ID has been Apple's flagship biometric authentication system since the iPhone X in 2017, and it's present on every current iPhone model. Removing it from what is expected to be a $1,800+ premium device seems counterintuitive.

So what replaces it? Apple is reportedly using an under-display Touch ID sensor embedded in the power button on the device's side, similar to the Touch ID implementation on iPad Air and iPad mini. This allows biometric authentication whether the phone is folded or unfolded, without requiring a TrueDepth camera system.

The reason for ditching Face ID comes down to engineering constraints. Integrating a TrueDepth camera array - which requires precise calibration and significant space - into a foldable form factor with two screens proved exceptionally difficult. The hinge mechanism, combined with the need for a functional cover display, left insufficient room for Face ID's sensor array without compromising either the camera quality or the overall device thinness.

Apple reportedly debated this decision extensively. Ultimately, the company concluded that a refined Touch ID experience is more reliable on a foldable device than an adapted Face ID system that might struggle with the device's various folded and unfolded states.

Design, Hinge, and Durability

One of the longest-standing criticisms of foldable phones is durability - specifically, hinge reliability and display crease. Gurman's report suggests Apple has addressed both aggressively.

The iPhone Fold uses a custom titanium hinge designed to last over 400,000 folds - the equivalent of unfolding and folding the phone 100 times a day for 10 years. Apple is reportedly so confident in the hinge that it will be covered under AppleCare with no separate deductible.

The inner display uses Apple's own proprietary flexible glass - developed internally over three years - which is significantly harder and more scratch-resistant than the plastic polymers used by Samsung and other foldable makers. Early testing reportedly shows dramatically reduced crease visibility compared to current foldables.

The device, when folded, is said to be approximately 12mm thick - thicker than an iPhone 17 Pro, but impressively slim for a foldable. Unfolded, it's just 5.5mm - thinner than any current iPad.

Pricing and Availability

The iPhone Fold is expected to start at $1,799 for a 256GB model, with a 512GB configuration at $1,999 and a 1TB option at $2,199. These prices are in line with premium foldables from Samsung, though Apple will position the iPhone Fold as categorically more refined than anything currently available.

Launch is anticipated alongside iOS 27 in September 2026, with pre-orders beginning the same week. Given demand expectations, analysts predict Apple will face supply constraints through the end of 2026.

Conclusion

The iPhone Fold isn't just another foldable phone - it's Apple reimagining what a smartphone can be. iPad-class multitasking in your pocket, a thoughtfully designed cover display, titanium build quality, and a refined Touch ID system represent Apple's most complete foldable vision yet. The absence of Face ID will spark debate, but Apple rarely makes hardware tradeoffs without good reason.

If the iPhone Fold launches as Gurman describes, it will set a new benchmark for foldable phones - and likely trigger another round of competitive scrambling from Samsung, Google, and the rest.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why doesn't the iPhone Fold have Face ID? A: Engineering constraints from the dual-screen foldable design made integrating Face ID reliably impractical. Apple is instead using a power-button Touch ID sensor that works in both folded and unfolded states.

Q: What size is the iPhone Fold's inner display? A: The inner display measures approximately 7.8 inches diagonally - comparable to a small iPad mini - and supports split-screen multitasking for two full apps simultaneously.

Q: When will the iPhone Fold be available? A: Apple is expected to announce the iPhone Fold at its fall 2026 event, with pre-orders and shipping beginning in September 2026.