Why Apple’s Next iPhone This Year Could Choose Touch ID Over Face ID

Apple may be looking to bring back Touch ID, but the implementation could be different from what users remember. New leaks suggest that the fingerprint-based authentication system could return with a future iPhone, likely arriving this year, as part of a larger shift in Apple’s long-term design plans. Also Read: Amazon’s Great Republic Day Sale 2026: Big Discounts On iPhones, OnePlus, Samsung and More

A Foldable iPhone Could Lead the Change

According to information shared by tipster Digital Chat Station, Apple is working on its first foldable iPhone, which could launch this year. This device is said to play a key role in Apple’s push towards an all-screen design, something the company has been aiming for over several iPhone generations. Also Read: Phone Running Slow? You Might Be Making These Mistakes

What makes this foldable iPhone stand out is the reported decision to skip Face ID altogether. Instead, Apple may rely on Touch ID built into the side button. This is not a throwback move, but a practical one. Foldable phones have limited internal space, and fitting Apple’s full Face ID hardware inside such a design could be challenging. A side-mounted fingerprint sensor would simplify things while keeping the display completely uninterrupted.

Why Touch ID Makes Sense Here

If the leak is accurate, the iPhone Fold could offer a true edge-to-edge display on the inside, with no notch, no Dynamic Island, and no visible camera cutout. Touch ID in the side button would handle authentication, freeing Apple from having to compromise on screen space.

If this move goes ahead, it would also allow Apple to offer an iPhone with a completely uninterrupted display for the first time. This is something the company has been working towards for years, judging by earlier patents and internal prototypes.

Under-Screen Tech Is Still Coming

Touch ID returning does not mean Face ID is being dropped. Reports suggest Apple has made progress with under-screen Face ID, using a special layer of glass that lets infrared light pass through the display. This would allow the sensors to sit below the screen without affecting performance. The technology is said to be ready for Apple’s Pro models, possibly starting with the iPhone 18 series. That said, Apple may take a cautious approach at first by keeping a smaller Dynamic Island, instead of removing it completely right away.

Alongside this, Apple is also said to be developing an under-screen front camera. For the foldable iPhone, the inner display could use a 24MP selfie camera hidden beneath the screen. That would be a significant improvement over current under-display cameras seen on Android phones, which often struggle with image quality.

Apple’s Bigger iPhone Plan

The leaks point to a clear roadmap. Under-screen Face ID arrives first on Pro models. The foldable iPhone introduces an under-screen selfie camera and brings back Touch ID via the side button. Then, in 2027, Apple is expected to combine both technologies in a special anniversary iPhone.

That future model is said to feature a near bezel-less display that curves over all four edges, pushing Apple closer to its long-standing vision of an iPhone that is nothing but glass.