Apple Said to Be Testing Under-Display Face ID on iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max Models

iPhone 17 series is expected to land in September this year, but we are already seeing multiple leaks about the iPhone 18 series, which is likely to arrive in 2026. Apple is believed to offer a significant redesign for its iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. A new leak coming out of China states that the company is testing under-display Face ID technology for the iPhone 18 Pro models. The vanilla iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Slim (Air) could retain the Dynamic Island feature.

Apple Could Be Working on Under-Screen Face ID

Tipster Digital Chat Station (translated from Chinese) on Weibo claimed that Apple is testing 3D under-display Face ID system for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. The tipster, citing supply chain sources, states that the iPhone 18 Pro series smartphones will have a single HIAA (hole-in-active-area) to house the front-facing camera in their display (translated from Chinese). 

The regular iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air are tipped to feature "regular 2+1 hole". This indicates that there will be a visible camera for the base models.

While the high-end iPhone 18 Pro models aim for a more futuristic design, the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air are expected to continue with the Dynamic Island, like the current iPhone 16. This may be a strategic decision by Apple to differentiate the Pro series.

Implementing under-display Face ID is considered to be a game-changer for Apple. The use of this technology would offer a seamless screen experience.

A recent report suggested that this design evolution could act as a stepping stone to enable a full-screen experience without any visible cutouts or bezels in the iPhone 19 lineup. At least one model slated for 2027—coinciding with the iPhone's 20th anniversary—is expected to feature an edge-to-edge display. The brand is rumoured to achieve this by embedding the front-facing camera beneath the screen.