Leak Reveals Foldable iPhone Details
A revolutionary step for Apple could arrive with its inaugural foldable iPhone, which, according to information from the Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station, will introduce a suite of design and hardware firsts for the company.
The leaker’s translated post describes a “wide foldable” device—a horizontally oriented, book-style foldable with a large internal display. The emphasis appears to be on keeping the device as slim as possible, with several key design choices aimed at reducing overall thickness.
A major point is the decision to place a side-mounted Touch ID fingerprint sensor instead of incorporating 3D Face ID hardware or a 3D ultrasonic under-display fingerprint sensor. The reasoning given is that these technologies would add to the device’s internal volume and complicate efforts to slim the chassis.
The hinge is highlighted as a strong design feature, with the post characterizing it as “very strong.” While detailed technical specifics aren’t provided, this aligns with industry expectations that Apple will prioritize hinge durability and crease minimization, two areas where foldables have historically faced scrutiny.
According to the leaker, the current engineering prototype includes a 7.58-inch internal display with an under-panel front-facing camera (UPC). This technology places the camera beneath the display layer, removing visible camera cutouts when not in use.
For the external display, the post claims a 5.25-inch panel with a punch-hole camera implemented via a Hole-In-Active-Area (HIAA) design. This approach minimizes unused screen space around the cutout. Details about how (or if) Dynamic Island will appear in these configurations remain unclear.
The device is also said to feature a dual 48-megapixel rear camera system described as having a “large base,” suggesting a physically larger sensor size than the pixel count alone would imply.
Digital Chat Station adds that the foldable smartphone segment will be "reinvigorated" next year, implying renewed momentum after a period of slower growth and incremental updates. The leaker also reiterates an earlier claim that Samsung is exploring a new wide-format foldable device.
Digital Chat Station has a reasonably solid track record with Apple rumors, having previously accurately forecasted aspects of the iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, triple 48MP rear cameras on the iPhone 17 Pro, slimmer bezels on the iPhone 17, a larger ProMotion display, and display panel design changes across several recent models.
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