{"id":279927,"date":"2026-02-04T08:32:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T08:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/279927\/"},"modified":"2026-02-04T08:32:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T08:32:12","slug":"apple-is-rumored-to-be-dropping-face-id-for-the-iphone-fold-and-i-couldnt-be-happier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/279927\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple is rumored to be dropping Face ID for the iPhone Fold, and I couldn\u2019t be happier"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"a1ef86cc-4034-4a2b-ac37-bfbdd20c15b9\">The long-rumored <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-heres-what-the-leaks-and-rumors-say-about-apples-alleged-upcoming-foldable-phone\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-heres-what-the-leaks-and-rumors-say-about-apples-alleged-upcoming-foldable-phone\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-heres-what-the-leaks-and-rumors-say-about-apples-alleged-upcoming-foldable-phone\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone Fold<\/a> is finally expected to launch this September, and there&#8217;s a big potential change for the design that I actually prefer when it comes to smartphones.<\/p>\n<p>One of the big aims when it comes to modern smartphones is the push to make them thinner than ever. Apple is reportedly making this a focus for the iPhone Fold, and one method that the company could use is to bring back Touch ID and get rid of Face ID, which has been the staple on iPhones since the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/iphone-x,review-4800.html\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/iphone-x,review-4800.html\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/us\/iphone-x,review-4800.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone X <\/a>back in 2017.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<p id=\"a1ef86cc-4034-4a2b-ac37-bfbdd20c15b9-2\">Apple\u2019s aim is reportedly to have the<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/forget-the-iphone-17-air-iphone-fold-just-tipped-to-be-thinnest-iphone-ever\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/forget-the-iphone-17-air-iphone-fold-just-tipped-to-be-thinnest-iphone-ever\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/forget-the-iphone-17-air-iphone-fold-just-tipped-to-be-thinnest-iphone-ever\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> iPhone Fold measure between 4.5-4.8mm thick,<\/a> and removing (or reducing the size of) the TruDepth camera array could go a long way to achieve that. However, where would Apple place the Touch ID? While it is possible that it could follow other Android devices and place it under the screen, it appears that Apple could be<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-could-feature-something-iphone-users-have-been-missing-for-years\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-could-feature-something-iphone-users-have-been-missing-for-years\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-could-feature-something-iphone-users-have-been-missing-for-years\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> incorporating it directly into the power button<\/a>, similar to what we have seen in the iPad Air and iPad Mini.<\/p>\n<p>You may like<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Now, there are some noticeable issues with Touch ID, but in the long run, I feel like I ultimately prefer this option for several reasons.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-95ed2ccb-803a-4d60-b2f0-e7c4d72a1cce\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/>I find Touch ID to be more reliable than Face ID <\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AeiETujmXpR8qSnb9eKRrM.jpg\" alt=\"iPhone Fold rendering\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AeiETujmXpR8qSnb9eKRrM.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/AeiETujmXpR8qSnb9eKRrM.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n<p id=\"648d8975-891c-4ec7-93cc-ec7deb76409d\">There are some arguments that Face ID is, generally, more reliable than Touch ID. However, my experience with generations of phones has called this into question. For one thing, when <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/i-shaved-for-movember-and-now-my-iphone-doesnt-recognize-me-heres-how-to-fine-tune-face-id\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/i-shaved-for-movember-and-now-my-iphone-doesnt-recognize-me-heres-how-to-fine-tune-face-id\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/i-shaved-for-movember-and-now-my-iphone-doesnt-recognize-me-heres-how-to-fine-tune-face-id\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">I recently shaved my face for Movember<\/a>, my Face ID decided it was not the look for me and consistently avoided working. Asking around, I also found that others had a similar issue when it came to new haircuts or wearing glasses, and lord help you if you&#8217;re in the dark.<\/p>\n<p>Touch ID doesn\u2019t have these same issues, and in my mind, it tends to work in more situations than Face ID alone. This is primarily because it doesn&#8217;t have to use a camera to work. Plus, as your fingerprint doesn&#8217;t really change, it should always work as intended. On top of that, with the ID being on the power button, it actually removes a step when trying to use your phone.<\/p>\n<p>Now, that isn\u2019t to say Touch ID always works perfectly, as it can fail, and it\u2019s heavily reliant on the button working properly. There\u2019s also a bit of concern around security, as it is possible to accidentally unlock your phone in your pocket. Although I think this is less of an issue than many might think.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-7b4178b3-6ad6-4bf0-8a65-a6a77b573905\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/>Focusing on thinness (with a reasonable compromise)<\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.20%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HUwJXnD39Y7tnGN6nmRPFf.jpg\" alt=\"Foldable iPhone concept image\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HUwJXnD39Y7tnGN6nmRPFf.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/HUwJXnD39Y7tnGN6nmRPFf.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: ConceptsiPhone \/ YouTube)<\/p>\n<p id=\"351ec6f8-87e5-4bae-b82a-cb6f0b073590\">While there are some issues with Touch ID, there\u2019s no getting past the fact that a thinner foldable phone is generally better. I have been relatively critical when it comes to phone makers&#8217; focus on making phones thinner. As we saw with the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-air-review\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-air-review\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-air-review\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">iPhone Air <\/a>and the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/samsung-phones\/samsung-galaxy-s25-edge-review\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/samsung-phones\/samsung-galaxy-s25-edge-review\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/samsung-phones\/samsung-galaxy-s25-edge-review\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Galaxy S25 Edge<\/a>, thinner phones didn&#8217;t really take the market by storm due to factors like missing features\/hardware and the price.<\/p>\n<p>However, when it comes to foldable phones, it feels like the opposite is true, at least from what I\u2019ve gathered using the older<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/reviews\/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-5\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> Galaxy Z Fold 5<\/a>. Here\u2019s the thing: foldable phones, especially book-like foldables, are basically like having two phones that combine into one. The larger screen is obviously useful, but having double the width means you&#8217;re also dealing with double the thickness, which can be a big problem.<\/p>\n<p id=\"cb3f83f8-ead5-4a1a-937a-d4031cc73551\">The solution to this problem is to make the foldable phone thinner as we&#8217;ve seen with the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-review\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-review\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-7-review\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Galaxy Z Fold 7<\/a>. Unlike with other phones, this is actually easier to do with foldable phones as you can use the width to avoid having to make room by removing a lot of the hardware. For instance, the iPhone Air had to make a lot of space for the battery, which led to the phone only having a single camera.<\/p>\n<p>You may like<\/p>\n<p>Even with the extra space available in a foldable phone, however, there are still limitations. In the case of the iPhone Fold, placing a Face ID system in both the main display and the front screen would likely massively impact the thickness of the phone with the hardware we currently have.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-d00ef6a8-f7a9-4059-9d39-b8e9ac2ac820\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/>There are still questions around the iPhone Fold <\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:56.26%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jKyo3FUB76apN2dfooDL9d.jpg\" alt=\"Renders of the potential iPhone foldable device\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jKyo3FUB76apN2dfooDL9d.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/jKyo3FUB76apN2dfooDL9d.jpg\" class=\"inline\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p>(Image credit: FPT)<\/p>\n<p id=\"171560a0-72ae-46f3-9303-96777c3acb00\">The reality is that having the Touch ID makes the most sense right now, and will likely offer the best overall experience on the new iPhone Fold. Going with Touch ID also frees up more space on the screen as you don&#8217;t need a cutout, which, when coupled with the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-creaseless-display-could-make-it-a-day-1-purchase-theres-just-one-problem\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-creaseless-display-could-make-it-a-day-1-purchase-theres-just-one-problem\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-fold-creaseless-display-could-make-it-a-day-1-purchase-theres-just-one-problem\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">rumored creaseless display<\/a>, could offer an unparalleled display.<\/p>\n<p>However, it does raise a question about what this could mean for the Dynamic Island. For reference, Apple\u2019s replacement for the notch does more than just offer helpful information like timers and what song you\u2019re playing, it also hides the selfie camera and Face ID. If there is no Face ID, then Apple can get away with having the Dynamic Island be noticeably smaller, which is rumored to be the <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-dynamic-island-mystery-solved-heres-what-to-expect\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-dynamic-island-mystery-solved-heres-what-to-expect\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-dynamic-island-mystery-solved-heres-what-to-expect\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">case for the iPhone 18 series. <\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"b72517d7-6c8c-409e-ba6b-e8f3485cc36b\">For now, all we can really do is wait for the official iPhone Fold release, which is rumored to be <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/apple-rumored-to-release-6-different-new-iphone-models-starting-next-year-heres-whats-coming\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/apple-rumored-to-release-6-different-new-iphone-models-starting-next-year-heres-whats-coming\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/apple-rumored-to-release-6-different-new-iphone-models-starting-next-year-heres-whats-coming\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">happening around September, <\/a>with the iPhone Fold launching alongside the<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-rumors-everything-we-know-so-far\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-rumors-everything-we-know-so-far\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-rumors-everything-we-know-so-far\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> iPhone 18 Pro <\/a>and<a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-max-rumors-and-leaks-everything-we-know-so-far\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-max-rumors-and-leaks-everything-we-know-so-far\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.tomsguide.com\/phones\/iphones\/iphone-18-pro-max-rumors-and-leaks-everything-we-know-so-far\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"> iPhone 18 Pro Max<\/a>. Until then, let me know which one you prefer: Touch ID or Face ID?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" id=\"b4510bc3-b4ff-4871-80e7-8b76fb3b9450\" data-url=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"vanilla-image-block\" style=\"padding-top:31.51%;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6.jpg\" alt=\"Google News\"   loading=\"lazy\" data-new-v2-image=\"true\" data-original-mos=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6.jpg\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/r3t8zZ5ve4GewFTeoCM3R6.jpg\" class=\"pull-right\"\/>\n<\/p>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"92dd5498-2f7f-4e34-bba0-122e6e071264\">Follow <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqKAgKIiJDQklTRXdnTWFnOEtEWFJ2YlhObmRXbGtaUzVqYjIwb0FBUAE\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Tom&#8217;s Guide on Google News<\/a> and <a data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tomsguide.com\" target=\"_blank\" data-url=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tomsguide.com\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. <\/p>\n<p><a id=\"elk-more-from-tom-s-guide\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/>More from Tom&#8217;s Guide<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The long-rumored iPhone Fold is finally expected to launch this September, and there&#8217;s a big potential change for&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":279928,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[61,60,202,80],"class_list":{"0":"post-279927","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-ie","9":"tag-ireland","10":"tag-mobile","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=279927"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/279927\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/279928"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=279927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=279927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=279927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}