iPhone Duo 2 Could Fix the Duo’s Biggest Miss With Face ID Under the Screen

The iPhone Duo hasn't even gone on sale yet, and its biggest missing feature may already be fixed in the next model. Apple is testing prototypes of the second-generation iPhone Duo with Face ID hidden beneath the outer display, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

Gurman shared the detail on his Power On podcast, as first reported by MacRumors. The successor is expected next fall, but Apple hasn't yet decided whether Face ID will make it into the final product. Meanwhile early Apple iPhone Duo reviews are also out, you can check out our roundup here.

Why the first Duo skipped Face ID

The current iPhone Duo uses a Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the side button, the same way iPads do. Its thin, foldable body simply doesn't leave enough room for the depth-sensing parts Face ID needs.

Face ID works by projecting thousands of invisible infrared dots onto your face and reading them back to build a 3D map. Putting that system under an OLED screen is tricky, because the display has to let infrared light pass through without affecting accuracy or speed. That is why only a few phones have tried anything like it.

The lack of Face ID has been one of the most common complaints in early reviews. CNET, for instance, said it hopes Apple adds both Face ID and a telephoto camera in a future version.

The timeline also looks faster than expected. In September, Gurman had predicted that Face ID and a dedicated telephoto camera would arrive by the third-generation Duo. These prototypes suggest Face ID could come a year earlier. Apple is also said to be considering an Action button for a future Duo, which the current model doesn't have.