So it looks like Apple Inc. (AAPL) is finally ready to take a crack at foldable phones, but with a twist: you might have to say goodbye to Face ID.

A new leak from Weibo's Digital Chat Station suggests that Apple's first foldable iPhone will be a horizontally oriented, book-style device with a massive internal display. Think productivity and media consumption, not the pocket-friendly clamshell design that some competitors favor.

Thinness Over Face ID

Here's where things get interesting. To keep the device thin and maximize internal space, Apple is reportedly going with a side-mounted Touch ID sensor instead of Face ID or even under-display fingerprint technology. That's a pretty significant trade-off, considering how central Face ID has become to the iPhone experience over the past several years.

But if you're building a foldable phone that needs to be slim when closed and durable when opened, something's got to give. Apple apparently decided that biometric authentication was the place to make compromises.

Built Like a Tank

The hinge is described as "very strong," which should come as good news to anyone who's seen the crease problems that have plagued other foldable devices. Apple tends to wait until it can execute a new form factor properly, and a robust hinge suggests the company is serious about durability.

No specific technical details were shared, but this aligns perfectly with Apple's typical approach: arrive late, but arrive right.

Display and Camera Specs

The engineering prototype reportedly features a 7.58-inch internal display with an under-panel selfie camera. The external display measures 5.25 inches and uses a punch-hole camera design. That raises an obvious question: what happens to the Dynamic Island?

On the camera front, the foldable iPhone is rumored to pack a dual 48-megapixel system with larger sensors on the back. Apple's clearly not backing away from its photography ambitions just because the phone folds in half.

Samsung Isn't Waiting Around

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics Co. (SSNLF) just unveiled the Galaxy Z TriFold earlier this month—a three-panel device that folds twice to create a roughly 10-inch tablet-like display. With U.S. availability expected in early 2026, Samsung is making it clear that it's not waiting for Apple to define the category this time.

Digital Chat Station noted that foldable phones could see renewed momentum next year, and mentioned that Samsung is also evaluating another new wide-format foldable device. The competition is heating up.

Apple hasn't confirmed any of these details, of course. But Digital Chat Station has a solid track record on iPhone designs and camera specs, so this leak carries more weight than your typical rumor mill speculation.

For what it's worth, Apple maintains a positive outlook across short, medium, and long-term time frames according to market performance data.