There’s a peculiar kind of discomfort that comes from reaching for something that’s no longer there. Anyone who has replaced a worn-out pair of shoes, switched keyboards, or driven a different car will recognise it immediately: that split-second of confusion when your fingers go where they’ve always gone, only to find empty space. Apple is about to inflict exactly this sensation on millions of iPhone users — assuming, of course, that its long-rumoured foldable handset ever materialises.
A fresh leak from Chinese social platform Weibo, courtesy of the typically reliable tipster Instant Digital, suggests the so-called iPhone Fold will shuffle Apple’s button layout in ways that could genuinely frustrate longtime users. The power and camera buttons will remain on the right edge, as on recent models. But the volume controls? They are moving to the top of the device, on the right-hand side. Think iPad, not iPhone. It’s a choice that makes ergonomic sense — until the first time you instinctively reach to turn the volume down and jab at thin air.
Design Tells a Story of Compromise
The reason for this layout, according to the leak, is rooted in necessity rather than whimsy. Apple’s engineering team has reportedly positioned the motherboard on the right side of the chassis, and routing cables across a folding hinge to reach buttons on the left proved too awkward or unreliable. As a result, the left edge will remain entirely button-free — a clean sweep of uninterrupted metal or glass. Whether that reads as minimalist elegance or simply making the best of a tricky situation depends largely on how charitable you’re feeling.
New iPhone Fold design details 👀
Source: Instant Digital pic.twitter.com/o2Fs8htlIE
— Apple Hub (@theapplehub) February 2, 2026
What’s equally striking — and perhaps more telling about Apple’s priorities — is what the device apparently won’t have. The front-facing camera is said to use a simple punch-hole design rather than the Dynamic Island that has become a signature feature of recent iPhones. That’s because the iPhone Fold is rumoured to rely on Touch ID rather than Face ID, eliminating the need for the sensor array that makes the Island possible. It’s a regression of sorts, though one that avoids the awkwardness of cramming face-scanning tech into a folding form factor.
At the rear, there’s further divergence from Apple’s usual design. The cameras — two rather than the three found on Pro models — will reportedly sit in a horizontal arrangement, not the vertical stack that has defined iPhones for years. The only confirmed colour so far is white, though the camera module itself will be black, creating a contrast that is either bold or jarring, depending on your taste.
Battery Capacity Promises Relief for Foldable Sceptics
One detail that could genuinely excite potential buyers is the battery. The leak claims the iPhone Fold will house the largest battery ever fitted to an iPhone. Battery life has long been the Achilles’ heel of foldable phones, with their power-hungry dual screens and complex hinges. If Apple has truly solved — or at least mitigated — that problem, it would be one of the most compelling reasons to consider a foldable in the first place.
🚨FIRST look at the iPhone Fold
(Source: fpt. on YouTube) pic.twitter.com/1V4AWhmJXU
— Sillycorns (@Sillycorns) January 9, 2026
Each new leak adds detail, though the overall picture remains frustratingly incomplete. Recent reports suggest Apple is targeting a release in the latter half of 2026, potentially unveiling the device in September alongside the iPhone 18 lineup. That timeline, however, assumes no further delays, and given the technical challenges of producing a reliable folding hinge, it is far from guaranteed. Some analysts have warned that production difficulties could push the launch into 2027.
What is becoming clear is that Apple’s first foldable will not simply be an iPhone that bends. It will be a device borrowing heavily from the iPad’s design language, abandoning some of the iPhone’s most recognisable features, and asking users to rewire years of ingrained habits. Whether that gamble pays off will depend on factors leaks cannot reveal: build quality, software refinement, and whether using a folding iPhone justifies the inevitable premium price. For now, all that can be done is wait – and perhaps start practising reaching for volume buttons that aren’t there yet.
Originally published on IBTimes UK