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Executive Editor, Macworld
Apple is reportedly testing under-screen Face ID for the 2nd-gen model.
The iPhone Duo hits stores tomorrow, and the anticipation couldn’t be higher. Pre-orders are backordered until January, although Apple has confirmed that limited quantities will be available for walk-in customers on launch day. Apple Stores are already preparing for big crowds, and basically everyone who’s tried one is ready to declare it the best foldable of the year.
But those early reviews aren’t all glowing. There’s an issue with app compatibility, which should be solved relatively quickly. Some people have lamented the lack of a telephoto lens. And others took issue with the battery life.
However, the biggest issue by far is the lack of Face ID. Due to the complexity of the double-screen design and the TrueDepth camera system, Apple opted to use Touch ID as the only unlocking/authentication biometric on the Duo. That means more fumbling and less convenience when wearing gloves or holding a drink. But according to a report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is looking to solve this as soon as possible.
On his new Power On podcast, Gurman spills some details he’s heard about the next generations of iPhone Duo:
But here’s what I’ve heard. There are a few different features that Apple is already looking at for the iPhone Duo 2 and the iPhone Duo 3. One thing that Apple has been actively working on, is under display Face ID.
And you saw, they took a bigger step towards that with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max this year, where they made the Dynamic Island much smaller. They moved more of the components under the display. I’m told there are iPhone Duo 2 prototypes at Apple already that have an under display Face ID sensor and camera on the outside screen.
None of that is a surprise, of course. Apple generally holds back features that either aren’t cost-effective or can’t be implemented in the way Apple wants. The Face ID issue is probably a little of both, so it could take a little longer to reach a production device. Gurman predicts that the issue will be solved “by the first update or the second update. So in the next two to three years or so.
With iPhone Duo stock limited and online delivery estimates already stretching into 2027, you could be waiting until next year to get your hands on one anyway. At that point, it might make more sense to just wait for the 2nd-generation model.
