Face ID on the iPhone Duo 2 Is Now a Toss-Up, Says Report

Apple is still working to bring Face ID to its second-generation iPhone Duo, but one reliable insider says it is now a toss-up whether the feature will survive the final design decisions.

According to Mark Gurman’s November 15 Bloomberg Power On newsletter, Apple engineers are working to integrate Face ID into the outer display of the upcoming iPhone Duo 2, internally known as V78. Prototypes with the technology already exist, yet the company needs to lock in the hardware design around now, leaving little time to resolve the remaining challenges.

If engineers cannot finalize the technology in time, Apple may have to proceed without Face ID, even though working prototypes already exist. Last month, it was reported that Apple’s planned to bring under-display Face ID to the second-generation foldable, and Gurman’s latest reporting now casts doubt on whether that plan will hold.

Gurman reports that Apple is also working on adding an Action button, potentially combining its functionality with Camera Control. A telephoto camera is another priority, alongside efforts to make the second-generation device thinner and lighter.

Those changes would build on Apple’s first foldable iPhone, which saw a closer look in our recent iPhone Duo review. Apple is also learning more about how its first-generation device performs in everyday use, including a folding test that found the hinge loosened after 440,000 folds.

Meanwhile, Apple has said more than 100,000 apps are already built for the iPhone Duo, reflecting the software work supporting the new form factor.

One detail in Gurman’s reporting is that customer feedback on the original iPhone Duo will not be reflected in hardware changes until the third-generation model. Apple must finalize hardware designs well before products reach customers, so the second-generation Duo is largely built around improvements that were already in development before anyone had used the original device. That means buyers hoping for changes based on real-world use will have to wait another generation. That’s probably a smarter bet for your wallet as the iPhone Duo starts from $2,999 CAD plus tax.

The second-gen iPhone Dueo could still bring a thinner design and an upgraded camera system, but Face ID remains far from guaranteed. Gurman’s toss-up framing leaves the feature hanging on a decision that now appears to be approaching its deadline.