• Source:JND

Apple's first foldable iPhone has only just arrived, but the company may already be looking at ways to fix some of its biggest compromises. The iPhone Duo was launched globally last week as Apple's first book-style foldable, and a new report suggests that Face ID and a telephoto camera could be added to the third-generation model.

Unlike most book-style foldables, the iPhone Duo does not follow the usual tall and narrow design. Apple has opted for a shorter, wider, passport-like shape, putting it up against Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8.

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The unusual design has also forced Apple to make a few changes internally. The iPhone Duo does not have Face ID, despite the feature being a standard part of Apple's recent flagship iPhones. Instead, Apple has brought back Touch ID for the foldable. The reason is believed to be the limited space available inside the extremely thin handset.

Apple Reportedly Wants Face ID Back

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has now shed some light on what Apple could be planning for future versions of the foldable. Writing in his latest 'Power On' newsletter, Gurman says Face ID and a telephoto camera are currently among Apple's top priorities for the iPhone Duo.

Getting both features into the phone, however, is not going to be straightforward.

The iPhone Duo is only 5.2mm thick when unfolded, making it Apple's thinnest iPhone to date. A Face ID system needs depth-sensing hardware, while a telephoto camera also takes up more internal space than the camera hardware currently used. In other words, Apple cannot simply add the two components without finding room for them first.

Gurman describes this as a “physics problem”, which is probably the simplest way of putting it. The challenge is not necessarily about Apple wanting these features, but about fitting the required hardware into such a thin body.

Third-Generation iPhone Duo Could Solve The Space Problem

There is still plenty of time for Apple to work on this. Gurman expects the third-generation iPhone Duo could arrive in 2028, provided Apple goes ahead with a second-generation model next year.

By then, the company could have smaller components to work with. Gurman expects Apple to combine further component miniaturisation with advances in artificial intelligence to reduce the size and complexity of some of the hardware used for depth sensing and cameras.

If Apple can make those components smaller, it could finally have enough room for Face ID and a telephoto camera without having to make the foldable considerably thicker.

For now, these are still predictions rather than confirmed plans from Apple. The company has not said anything about a third-generation iPhone Duo, and the second-generation model itself has not been officially announced.

iPhone Duo Price And Specifications

The first-generation iPhone Duo went on sale in India and other global markets following its September 9 launch. The base model with 256GB storage costs Rs. 2,99,900 in India.

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The foldable has a 7.6-inch Super Retina XDR display on the inside and a 5.4-inch Super Retina XDR cover screen. It runs on Apple's new A20 Pro chipset, which is manufactured using a 2nm process.

For now, users will have to make do with Touch ID instead of Face ID and a camera setup without a dedicated telephoto lens. If Gurman's timeline is correct, Apple could have another two generations to figure out how to squeeze both features into the company's unusually thin foldable.


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