The use of under-display infrared sensors may allow Apple to eliminate the pill-shaped notch or reduce its dimensions.
Apple has reduced the size of the Dynamic Island in successive iPhone lineups since its introduction
The iPhone 18 series is rumoured to be unveiled at Apple's September event, headlined by the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. According to a report, both purported handsets could feature several quality-of-life upgrades, including a redesigned Dynamic Island. The Cupertino-based tech giant will reportedly equip the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max with a smaller notch compared to the current iPhone 17 Pro lineup.
According to a report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is planning a redesigned Dynamic Island for the iPhone 18 Pro models. It is expected to be smaller in size than the unit on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.
The tech giant, notably, introduced the Dynamic Island in September 2022 with the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max, replacing the traditional wide notch on previous models. It is a centred pill-shaped cutout at the top of the display, which houses all of the Face ID sensors and the selfie camera. Apart from this, the Dynamic Island also supports features such as Live Activities for alerts, notifications, and real-time tracking of deliveries, flights, and timers.
While the iPhone maker has shrunk the size of the Dynamic Island in subsequent previous iPhone generations, the decrease has been iterative and not substantial.
Gurman's claims support previous reports, which stated that Apple could reduce the dynamic island notch from 20.7mm on the iPhone 17 Pro models to 13.49mm on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. This translates to a reduction of approximately 35 percent.
There is speculation about the iPhone 18 lineup packing under-display infrared sensors, possibly for biometric authentication, which would allow Apple to eliminate the pill-shaped notch or reduce its dimensions.
Consequently, the iPhone 18 series may only feature a small dynamic island along with the selfie camera, while the Face ID tech remains beneath the display. However, not all Face ID components are expected to sit under a transparent area. Per reports, this design could remain in place through 2026 and 2027.
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