iPhone 18 Pro leak points to a subtle but noticeable design shift

Apple may be working on a small hardware change for its next Pro iPhone. A recent leak suggests the iPhone 18 Pro could arrive with a slightly smaller Dynamic Island, trimming down a design element that has been in place since 2022. Also Read: From foldables to smart homes: Here Apple’s big plans

New Dynamic Island design

The Dynamic Island was first introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro and, in terms of physical size, has largely stayed the same since then. While Apple has continued to expand its functionality through software, the actual pill-shaped cutout has stayed the same on later models, including the current iPhone 17 Pro. Also Read: iPhone 18 could get a brighter display as Apple raises OLED standards

Leaks now suggest that Apple may finally be preparing to adjust the hardware layout. Instead of removing the Dynamic Island altogether, the company appears to be focusing on shrinking it. Also Read: This iOS 26 feature quietly extends your iPhone’s battery life

What the leak says

According to information shared by leaker yeux1122 on Naver, Apple could move at least one infrared sensor used for Face ID under the display panel. If that happens, the visible cutout would no longer need to be as wide as it is today.

Image: yeux1122/ Naver

A comparison image shared alongside the leak suggests that the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro could be noticeably narrower. The cutout is said to shrink from around 20.7mm on the iPhone 17 Pro to roughly 13.5mm on the next model. The height of the cutout is said to remain mostly unchanged, and it is still expected to sit at the centre of the display.

What this could mean in daily use

A slimmer Dynamic Island could make the display feel a bit cleaner in daily use. There would be slightly more screen space on either side of the cutout, which could be easier to notice while watching videos, playing games, or using apps that reach the top of the screen.

It could also give developers more flexibility when designing Live Activities and other Dynamic Island features, as the element would take up less horizontal space.

No punch-hole yet

Earlier reports had suggested that Apple might move to a single punch-hole camera cutout with Face ID fully hidden under the display. The latest leak suggests that is not happening yet. Instead, Apple seems to be taking a gradual route by reducing the size of the Dynamic Island rather than removing it entirely.

For now, this is based only on leaked information, and Apple has not confirmed anything officially. If the leak is accurate, the iPhone 18 Pro would be the first Pro model to get a physical change to the Dynamic Island since it was introduced.