Apple's first foldable iPhone could feature a 24-megapixel under-screen camera in its inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. If accurate, that would be an industry first.
We've heard several rumors now about Apple using an under-display camera for the book-style foldable's inner screen, but this is the first time anyone's put a number on it – and it's a big number compared to the competition.
Putting a camera under the screen makes it harder to match the quality of an unobstructed smartphone camera. Most Android phones with under-display cameras max out at 4 or 8 megapixels because hiding a sensor behind display layers tends to produce muddy results. If Apple uses a 24-megapixel sensor with six plastic lens elements, as the report suggests, it would offer a serious leap forward in light transmittance and image quality.
However, it seems that to achieve an ultra-thin design which – in Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman's words – resembles "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," Apple has had to make some trade-offs. According to the report, Apple is ditching LiDAR and optical image stabilization.
That doesn't mean it isn't packing in plenty of other camera-related tech, though. The foldable is expected to sport four cameras in total: one 24-megapixel front-facing camera, one inner (under display) camera, and two 48-megapixel rear cameras. The outer display will reportedly use a punch-hole camera, while Touch ID replaces Face ID for authentication.
Gurman expects a fall 2026 launch, but Japan's Mizuho Securities suggests a 2027 delay remains possible as Apple fine-tunes design elements like the all-important hinge. For more details, check out our dedicated foldable rumor roundup.
