iPhone 18 Leaks Hint At Under-Display Face ID, Smaller Dynamic Island

Apple may finally be preparing to hide Face ID under the display with its iPhone 18 lineup, if recent leaks are anything to go by. After years of speculation, a new report suggests the company is testing an in-display Face ID system that could significantly change how future iPhones look on the front. Also Read: iPhone-Android Switching Gets Easier As Apple and Google Team Up: Here's How

A Chinese tipster known as Smart Pikachu on Weibo claims Apple is experimenting with a new display material described as “spliced micro-transparent glass.” This technology is said to allow the infrared sensors used for Face ID to sit beneath the screen, while still functioning without distortion. The leak also suggests Apple has asked its suppliers to speed up preparations for this technology, indicating that internal testing may already be underway. Also Read: iPhone 15 Users Can Purchase iPhone 16 At Rs 30,921 On Flipkart; Here's How

For now, the leak only refers to the iPhone 18 lineup as a whole and does not clarify which models may get the new Face ID system. If Apple goes ahead with the change, it could lead to a smaller Dynamic Island or even remove it entirely, with only a small front camera cut-out remaining – a design approach already seen on several Android phones.

Conflicting reports, however, suggest Apple is still weighing its options. Earlier this year, The Information reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models may drop the Dynamic Island entirely and shift to a pinhole-style camera cut-out positioned in the upper-left corner of the display. Other leaks, on the other hand, indicate that Apple may retain the Dynamic Island, but shrink its size instead of removing it completely.

Display analyst Ross Young has previously stated that under-display Face ID could arrive with the iPhone 18 Pro models, though he believes the Dynamic Island may not disappear entirely. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has also suggested that Apple could settle for a slimmer Dynamic Island rather than a fully invisible Face ID system, at least in the early stages.

As for the launch timeline, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 series in September, following its usual annual release cycle. Some models could reportedly be pushed to 2027, while the iPhone 18 Pro lineup may debut alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone. The Pro models are also rumoured to run on a 2nm A20 chip and could feature Apple’s in-house C2 modem, potentially moving away from Qualcomm even for flagship devices.