Apple could bring under-display Face ID tech to the iPhone 18 lineup, which would help in downsizing the notch.
Apple has reduced the size of the Dynamic Island in successive iPhone lineups since its introduction
The iPhone 17 series was launched in September 2025, and rumours about its potential successors are already surfacing. According to a tipster, the iPhone 18 Pro models could feature a Dynamic Island, which is 35 percent smaller in size compared to their iPhone 17 series counterparts. The Cupertino-based tech giant is expected to introduce an under-display infrared sensor for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, which may contribute to the downsizing of the notch.
According to tipster Ice Universe, Apple could reduce the dynamic island notch from 20.7 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.
The pill-shaped cutout was introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro models in 2022, replacing the traditional wide notch on previous models. Apart from housing sensors for the Face ID and the selfie camera, it also supports several features, such as Live Activities for alerts, notifications, and real-time tracking.
Previous reports suggest that the iPhone 18 series will pack under-display infrared sensors, possibly for biometric authentication. In theory, it would allow the Cupertino-based tech giant 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 of the display
This design is rumoured to remain in place through 2026 and 2027.
Apple was previously also reported to align the selfie camera to the top-left corner of the screen on the iPhone 18 lineup. However, a tipster claims this is unlikely to happen. The front-facing camera may remain centred within a smaller Dynamic Island, while only part of the Face ID sensor array may shift toward the left.
The iPhone 18 series is expected to be launched during Apple's September event. With several months to go, we can expect more details to surface closer to the launch.
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