Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature relocated volume buttons, an all-black camera plateau, a smaller Dynamic Island, and more, according to design leaks from a known Weibo leaker.
The user known as "Instant Digital" today claimed to share several key details about the design of the foldable iPhone:
- The volume buttons will be located on the top edge of the device, aligned to the right, similar to the iPad mini.
- The Touch ID power button and Camera Control continue to be located on the right edge of the device, just like other recent iPhones.
- The left side of the device is smooth and does not have any buttons.
- The front-facing cameras feature a single punch-hole design, resulting in a smaller Dynamic Island.
- The back left of the device features an iPhone Air-style camera plateau, containing two horizontally arranged cameras, the microphone, and the flash. Unlike the iPhone Air, the camera plateau appears to be completely black and not match the color of the device's body.
- The only "confirmed" color option is said to be white, but a single additional color is expected to be available upon launch, giving customers just two choices.
The motherboard is apparently located on the right side of the device. As to not run cables across the screen to the left side for the volume buttons (where they are located on all other iPhone models), Apple is said to have decided to run them directly upwards, which maximizes internal space.
The internal structure purportedly features an innovative stacked design, with the space being almost entirely dedicated to the display and battery. It is also said to feature the biggest battery ever used in an iPhone.
Instant Digital has a good track record for Apple rumors and has provided some strikingly accurate information, such as the imminent launch of 2023's Yellow iPhone 14, the frosted back glass of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, the Apple Watch Series 9 as a minor refresh, spatial video capture on the iPhone 15 Pro, the iPad Air and iPad Pro's move to a landscape front-facing camera, the M4 iPad Pro's nano-texture display option, the iPhone 16 Pro's battery capacities, and continued Apple Watch band compatibility through the Apple Watch Series 10.
For the iPhone 17 Pro alone, the leaker reported the device's 256GB base storage configuration and its improved telephoto camera, as well as its improved battery life, thermal design, and display brightness. As a result, their reports are worth taking seriously.
Other rumors suggest that Apple's first foldable iPhone will feature a 7.8-inch crease-free inner display, a 5.5-inch cover display, Touch ID, two rear cameras, the A20 chip, and the "C2" modem. It is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max later this year.
