Full Breakdown
Apple Tests Under-Display Face ID for Next-Gen iPhone Duo
By Drooid · · How we work
Prototype Development
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman disclosed that Apple is actively engineering a second-generation iPhone Duo with Face ID sensors embedded beneath the outer display. Prototypes featuring the under-display technology have already been built, and the company is evaluating the hardware for a successor expected to launch in the fall. The move follows earlier speculation that Apple could add facial authentication, a dedicated telephoto camera, and an Action button to future Duo models.
Design Constraints and Prior Generation
The first-generation iPhone Duo, priced at $2,000, relies on a side-button Touch ID sensor similar to the iPad’s design. Its ultra-thin form factor leaves limited space for the depth-sensing components required for Face ID, prompting Apple to retain Touch ID for this launch. Reviewers have praised the foldable’s overall performance but note that unlocking with Touch ID can be slower than the Face ID experience most iPhone users have had since the iPhone X. Gurman highlighted that the Duo’s dual-orientation use case makes placing Face ID sensors on both inner and outer displays technically challenging and could increase costs.
Insider Comments on Feasibility
Gurman linked Apple’s progress on under-display Face ID to recent advances seen in the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, where Dynamic Island hardware has been miniaturized enough to sit beneath the screen. He also mentioned that Apple’s ongoing work to shrink components, combined with artificial-intelligence-driven processing, may enable the integration of facial authentication without compromising the device’s thin profile. Additionally, the Bloomberg reporter noted that the Action button introduced on the iPhone 15 Pro could appear on a future iPhone Duo 2.
Potential Implications
If Apple succeeds in embedding Face ID under the outer display, the iPhone Duo line could achieve uniform biometric security across both screens, aligning the foldable with the broader iPhone ecosystem. This advancement would also demonstrate Apple’s ability to overcome the engineering hurdles of ultra-thin, dual-display devices, potentially influencing the design of future foldables and other premium smartphones.