Rumors about the iPhone Duo 2 have already started, even though people who preordered Apple’s first foldable phone are still waiting for it to arrive. With shipping now set for January 22, fans might learn about the next generation before the original iPhone Duo even shows up at their door.
The first iPhone Duo will be available tomorrow, starting at $1,999. It features a 5.4-inch outer screen and a 7.6-inch inner screen, and uses a fingerprint sensor in the side button, similar to an iPad. Early reviewers have pointed out the lack of Face ID. The phone’s slim design just doesn’t have space for the facial recognition hardware.
Even though the iPhone Duo hasn’t shipped yet, Apple is reportedly already working on the next version. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says prototypes of the second-generation foldable have Face ID hardware hidden under the outer display. This would let Apple fit everything into its thinnest foldable iPhone so far.
Apple has been making these components smaller for some time, as shown by the smaller infrared camera on the iPhone 18 Pro. The next move could be to hide both the infrared camera and the flood illuminator under the display, making the cutout even smaller. This technology might also show up in the rumored 20th anniversary iPhone.
Gurman says Apple hasn’t decided if this feature will be in the final product. The company is testing the hardware for a new model expected next fall, but if things fall behind, Face ID might not arrive until the iPhone Duo 3. This matches his earlier prediction that smaller parts and AI improvements could bring Face ID and a telephoto camera by the third generation.
Face ID isn’t the only feature Apple is thinking about for its foldable phone. Gurman also says Apple is considering adding an Action button, which the current model doesn’t have. Some staff are pushing for it and believe it’s possible, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
It feels strange to discuss Apple’s second or third foldable phone when opening preorders during a supply crunch has been called a “major mistake” by Gurman and other analysts.
Apple retail staff have even been told to warn walk-in customers about limited stock. If rumors about the iPhone Duo 2 keep coming, fans might skip the first generation, since they could spend $2,000 on a phone that might be outdated in just eight months.