Apple’s highly anticipated foldable iPhone is expected to debut as part of the iPhone 18 series next year, joining the iPhone Air 2 and the iPhone 18 Pro models—assuming there are no delays. In this scenario, the standard iPhone 18 will not arrive until spring 2027, alongside the more affordable iPhone 18e. Unofficially dubbed the iPhone Fold, this device is rumored to introduce several features never before seen on an iPhone, most notably its large foldable screen.
New Features and Innovations
The foldable iPhone is said to feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, as it reportedly won’t support Face ID. Another notable innovation is the placement of the internal selfie camera: instead of a punch-hole cutout, it will be positioned under the display. A recent research note from JPMorgan, cited by MacRumors, supports this theory, indicating the device will have a 24-megapixel under-display selfie camera.
Max Weinbach shared an image from the same JPMorgan report, which outlines rumored specs for iPhone models from the iPhone 16 (2024) through the iPhone 19 (2027). The image lists an “underdisplay 24Mpx 6P” camera for next year’s foldable iPhone. While it’s unclear whether the two JPMorgan documents circulating this week are identical, it’s unlikely that two separate notes from the same research group would contain such similar details.
Industry First: Under-Display Camera
If the JPMorgan report is accurate, Apple’s 24-megapixel under-display camera for the foldable iPhone will be a first for the industry. Despite Samsung’s seven generations of Galaxy Z Fold devices, none have featured a camera of this caliber under the display. Samsung introduced a 4-megapixel under-display camera with the Fold 3 and continued using it through the Fold 6. The recently released Fold 7, however, switched to a hole-punch selfie camera.
A jump to 24 megapixels would mark a significant leap for under-display camera technology. A foldable display with no cutouts and a camera capable of capturing 24-megapixel selfies through the OLED panel is a feature that will undoubtedly attract attention. According to the screenshot shared by Weinbach, all four iPhone 18 models will feature 24-megapixel 6P selfie cameras. The iPhone Fold is also rumored to have two 48-megapixel cameras on the back, though the wide camera is expected to lack sensor-shift optical image stabilization.
Report Accuracy and Caveats
It’s unclear when the JPMorgan report was released. While the firm is believed to have access to reliable information from Apple’s supply chain, there are some notable errors in the document. For example, the screenshot lists the wrong storage options for the iPhone 17 series, including the 128GB tier, which Apple has reportedly discontinued. The 2TB option for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is also missing. Additionally, the document refers to the 2027 iPhone series as “iPhone 19,” but Apple is expected to skip this number in favor of “iPhone 20” to commemorate the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.
