Apple's foldable iPhone: no under-display fingerprint sensor, but side-mounted Touch ID sensor

Apple will reportedly not be using an under-display fingerprint sensor for its new foldable iPhone, and in its place the foldable iPhone will use a side-mounted Touch ID button.

In a new post by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has posted on X explaining: "Six months ago, I predicted the foldable iPhone would use side-button Touch ID. There are now market rumors that it will adopt an under-display ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, but I think that's unlikely. It's expected that Luxshare ICT will supply the side-button Touch ID module for the foldable iPhone".

This makes sense given that Apple's upcoming foldable iPhone will be exactly like Samsung's successful and multiple generations of foldable Galaxy smartphones -- the most recent being the Galaxy Z Fold 7 -- where the book-style foldable has not one, but two displays. This means that Apple would need under-display fingerprint sensors on both the outer display, and another under-display fingerprint sensor when the foldable iPhone is unfolded.

This adds complexity and cost for Apple, both of which the company doesn't want, so we should see a side-mounted Touch ID sensor instead. Apple has slowly been adding Touch ID sensors on its existing products for a while now, including the iPad Air, but the foldable iPhone will be going down a different route it seems (and it makes sense).