The iPhone Fold is coming later this year, with all the obvious foldable design basics like a hinge, folding display, and more. But rumors indicate the iPhone Fold will also have several unique design features that are firsts for Apple beyond these basics. Here’s what’s coming.
#1: Hole-punch front camera cutout
Hole-punch camera cutouts are common on many Android smartphones, but Apple hasn’t done one before.
Most iPhones these days use a Dynamic Island—which is reportedly shrinking a bit on iPhone 18 Pro. But the Dynamic Island is much larger than a simple hole-punch, and the new iPhone 17e has an even larger notch still.
iPhone Fold, however, is rumored to have a single top-center hole punch for the front camera.
The main reason Apple’s able to achieve a hole-punch design in the iPhone Fold, but not iPhone 18 Pro or any other new models, is that the device will lack Face ID.
Due to the thinness of the design, Apple reportedly hasn’t found a way to fit two sets of Face ID components in its foldable. Instead, the new model will use Touch ID—enabling the front display to offer a hole-punch camera cutout with no additional space needed for Face ID.
#2: Unique display size and orientation
Apple has never made an iPhone with a display size and orientation like its foldable will have.
And that really applies to both the inner and outer displays.
CAD leaks show a front display that’s much wider than a standard iPhone screen, opening up to an inner display that’s similarly somewhat short and extra wide.
In some ways, the iPhone Fold design will reflect a small book or notebook more than a smartphone.
The closest parallel for the inner display’s design is an iPad mini. But even that comparison doesn’t quite match what’s rumored for the iPhone Fold’s size and orientation. It’s close, but Apple’s foldable will nonetheless feel unique.
#3: Button-free left side
The left side of the iPhone has historically been home to volume buttons and the ringer switch, which more recently was replaced by the Action Button.
But rumors say the iPhone Fold’s left side will be entirely button-free.
This is understandable due to the need for an unencumbered hinge mechanism, but Apple may have another reason too. Per leaker Instant Digital:
Why this placement? The motherboard is on the right side, and they didn’t want to run wires across the screen to the left side for the buttons, so the left side is completely free of physical buttons, with almost all the space dedicated to the screen structure and battery.
It will no doubt take some adjusting to get used to a button-free left side of the iPhone. That said, the basic form factor of Apple’s first folding iPhone will require its own big learning curve overall.
Are you interested in making iPhone Fold your next iPhone? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments.
Best iPhone accessories
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
By
