Rumors surrounding the launch of the first foldable iPhone have been making rounds on the internet for a while now. And now, a market researcher suggests that Apple will eventually release under-screen Face ID and foldable iPhones, but not until years from now.
Besides this, earlier rumors suggested the iPhone 16 Pro will switch to an under-panel Face ID sensor, eliminating the Dynamic Island or notch.
However, a report from Elec suggests that a senior market researcher, Omdia Kang Min-soo, has reportedly been advising attendees of the 2024 Korea Display Conference that Apple will introduce foldable and under-panel Face ID later than anticipated.
Moreover, it says that there will be a foldable model in the iPhone 17 lineup. However, the iPhone 18 Pro will be the one with full-screen support, excluding Dynamic Island. Thus, this distinction will result from the Face ID sensor being hidden behind the display.
The researcher also suggests that Apple originally planned to ship the Face ID sensor under the panel with the 2024 iPhone 16 series, but they are now claiming that it will launch in 2027, which is later than what other rumor sources point at.
However, they claim Apple will set itself apart from its competitors even more with the release of a foldable iPhone—even though those competitors currently offer multiple folding devices. To achieve this, the researcher says that Apple will launch an iPhone that will fold out to reveal a 7 or 8-inch screen resembling an iPad mini.
However, neither Omdia researcher Kang Min-soo nor the Korea Display Conference has a well-established track record regarding news surrounding Apple devices and services. While The Elec has solid connections in the supply chain, it still occasionally gets Apple’s intentions wrong. So, we recommend taking this news with a pinch of salt.