Touch ID Set to Return to Apple's iPhone Lineup Next Year
Touch ID, the fingerprint authentication technology that has been missing from Apple's flagship iPhone lineup since 2017, is reportedly set to make a comeback in a side button configuration on a new iPhone model that could arrive as soon as next year.
Apple's first foldable iPhone may see the revival of Touch ID, according to respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a recent report, Kuo details that Apple's foldable iPhone will forgo Face ID entirely, and instead use Touch ID in a side button format similar to the design found on recent iPad Air and iPad mini models. This decision appears to be driven by space constraints in the thin foldable design, which Kuo says will measure between 9mm and 9.5 mm when folded, and an ultra-thin 4.5mm to 4.8 mm when unfolded.
Touch ID was first introduced in 2013 with the iPhone 5s, and revolutionized smartphone security by allowing users to unlock their devices and authenticate purchases with a fingerprint. The technology remained a staple of iPhone design until Apple introduced Face ID with the iPhone X in 2017, marking a shift toward facial recognition as the company's preferred biometric authentication method.
The last iPhone model to feature Touch ID was the third-generation iPhone SE, which Apple discontinued in February 2025 without a like-for-like replacement. It was succeeded by the iPhone 16e, which features Face ID and other premium features like an Action button. This left Apple's entire iPhone lineup exclusively dependent on Face ID technology.
The foldable iPhone is expected to arrive in late 2026 or early 2027, and it reportedly won't come cheap. Kuo projects a premium price tag exceeding $2,000, and potentially climbing above $2,500. The device will reportedly feature a book-style design with a 7.8-inch "crease-free" inner display and a 5.5-inch outer screen.
Popular Stories
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below.
Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone.
In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports.
iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
