What’s happened? The first foldable iPhone could adopt one of the most innovative, yet historically least effective, selfie camera technologies: an under-display sensor.
- According to JP Morgan’s internal forecast (shared on X via Max Weinbach), the first foldable iPhone will feature a 24MP under-display selfie camera on the inner screen, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 6.
- The device will also include another 24MP selfie sensor on the cover display. Furthermore, it might come with only two rear-facing cameras: a 48MP primary sensor and a 48MP ultra-wide sensor.
- The document also corroborates the theory that Apple will delay the vanilla iPhone 18’s launch until the first half of 2027, focusing instead on the Pro, Air, and foldable models during the September 2026 event.
Why is this important? For years, Samsung used an under-display selfie camera (with just 4MP resolution) on its book-style foldables. While the technology provided a nearly seamless inner screen, the layer of pixels above the lens and the low resolution resulted in poor-quality selfies.
- This is why the Korean giant replaced the under-display camera with a 10MP punch-hole selfie shooter on its latest foldable, the Galaxy Fold 7.
- If the document is accurate, Apple is considering this technology at a time when its longest and most prominent rival has already moved away from it.
- On the positive side, Apple’s under-display selfie camera could deliver six times the resolution, 24MP versus 4MP on the Fold 6, potentially resulting in clearer, sharper images with more detail.
Why should I care? Apple seems confident about overcoming the key compromises that previously plagued under-display cameras, such as poor image quality and display-related distortions. If Apple’s implementation performs as well as a regular camera, several Android manufacturers could quickly follow suit.
- It’s also worth noting that all iPhone 18 models (except the rumored iPhone 18e) are said to feature a 24MP selfie camera, marking a noticeable upgrade from the 18MP sensor used in the iPhone 17 models.
- Since the iPhone 17 introduced a Center Stage front camera with square sensors that support multiple aspect ratios for selfies and a dramatically wider field of view, I’m expecting the iPhone 18 models and the foldable iPhone to retain this technology.
- For consumers and tech enthusiasts, this suggests that Apple’s first foldable could offer impressive camera performance, whether using the cover screen, inner display, or rear cameras.
OK, what’s next? While the first foldable iPhone might lack a dedicated telephoto lens like the iPhone 17 Pro, it’s expected to provide a superior front-camera experience with sharper selfies and improved video-call quality.
- Android manufacturers will also be watching closely to see how Apple handles the absence of Face ID on a foldable form factor, possibly substituting it with a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, similar to what’s found on recent iPad models.
- More details about the foldable iPhone are likely to surface as the launch window approaches.
