Apple May Be Working to Hide Face Unlock Under the Screen
Apple is "actively working" on putting Face ID under the screen, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. He made the remarks on his Power On podcast, and Engadget reported them on October 22, 2026. Gurman said prototypes of the second-generation foldable, the iPhone Duo 2, already have the technology built into the outer display.
The first model is brand new
The report is about a successor to a phone Apple has only just started selling. Apple introduced the iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, calling it its first foldable iPhone. The first model uses Touch ID, which sits in the side button, so it does not use Face ID. Engadget reports that the iPhone Duo also has Apple's first under-display camera.
Apple says the phone has its largest iPhone display ever in a foldable design. It also says the phone is the thinnest iPhone ever when opened. Reuters reports that the inner screen measures 7.6 inches, that the phone runs Apple's A20 Pro chip, and that pricing starts at $1,999. Pre-orders began on October 16, and sales start on October 23, according to Reuters.
Gurman also said the Action button may appear on a future iPhone Duo 2, as Engadget reports. Taken together, his two remarks point to a second-generation phone that could change both how it recognizes your face and which physical buttons it has. Apple has announced neither change.
AppleInsider reported in August that the first foldable was expected in September or October 2026. It arrived on the September date Apple announced.
Why the sensor is hard to hide
Face ID needs a clear path for light. Its infrared projector and receiver must see your face directly. Placing them under a screen means the screen has to let enough light through, and the sensor has to read your face accurately through that layer. It is a bit like asking someone to recognize you through frosted glass.
Gurman's account describes prototypes that have reached the outer display. That is an earlier stage than a shipping phone with a confirmed feature list.
What this may mean
In my view, the most useful way to read this report is as a sign of where Apple's engineering is heading, not as a release date. The first iPhone Duo already has an under-display camera, so the company has some experience building that kind of part. Moving a depth sensor under a similar screen is a harder step, and the prototype stage suggests Apple is still testing it.
The broader context here is the trade-off that a foldable forces on designers. Every millimeter removed from the frame or the notch gives back usable screen. That matters more on a phone whose main appeal is a large, thin display. If Apple can keep face unlock on the front without a cutout, both screens could look cleaner. Whether that reaches customers in a second-generation phone depends on work that is still underway.
