Mark Gurman: Apple’s iPhone Fold won’t run iPad apps directly; device too thin to fit Face ID

Key takeaway

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reportedly says Apple’s first large folding iPhone — the “iPhone Fold” — will ship with apps specially optimized for the unfolded display to give an iPad-like experience, but it will not be able to run iPad apps directly. It has been reported that the device’s body is too thin to house the Face ID sensor array, pushing Apple toward a Touch ID solution similar to the current iPad mini.

Design and biometric trade-offs

Why drop Face ID? Gurman’s report attributes the decision to physical limits: the TrueDepth sensor suite that powers Face ID requires volume Apple apparently cannot spare in a thin folding chassis. Reportedly the inner screen will use a punch‑hole for the selfie camera, while authentication will rely on a Touch ID fingerprint sensor integrated into the frame or power button — a choice Apple has used on smaller iPads and some iPhones in the past.

Software strategy and market context

Apple’s plan, according to Gurman, is to optimize iPhone apps for the larger, unfolded screen rather than treat the Fold as a full iPad-class device that runs iPadOS binaries natively. That raises a question for consumers: will the Fold feel more like a supersized iPhone or a compact iPad? The move also reflects competitive pressure from Chinese foldable makers such as Huawei (华为) and Xiaomi (小米), which have already pushed large, tablet‑like folding screens into the market.

Chips and supply‑chain notes

Separately, it has been reported that the Fold will use a next‑generation A20 Pro chip built by TSMC on a new 2nm process, with claimed gains in performance and efficiency and a wafer‑level multi‑chip module (WMCM) that integrates memory with compute dies. Those claims remain unconfirmed. Geopolitical context matters here: Apple’s reliance on Taiwan‑based TSMC and a global supply chain comes amid heightened U.S.–China technology tensions and export controls that could influence timing and component availability.