We know many made fun of Apple for including the notch and cutouts in its iPhones. However, after reviewing phones that use under-display cameras, it’s not hard to see why Apple and other companies like Samsung have not been so quick to hop on that bandwagon. Now, a new rumor suggests that the iPhone 18 Pro could be the first iPhone to sport an under-screen Face ID system.
According to a post on X by the CEO of DSCC, Ross Young, he cites OTI Lumionics CEO Michael Helander, who says they expect iPhones with under-display Face ID in 2026. To be clear, this is not the first time we’re hearing this type of rumor. Earlier this week, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman shared that Apple will introduce a dramatic redesign for the 20th anniversary iPhone. This iPhone will be made of “mostly glass.”
There was also a report from The Information that claims that at least one iPhone from the 2027 lineup could use an under-display camera system. However, Young’s post suggests that Apple could introduce such a system as early as 2026. But take note that in the replies to his post, Young clarified that this is only for Face ID.
As far as an under-display camera is concerned, apparently, they still need more development. From what we’ve seen from phones that use an under-display camera, the photos are less than stellar. This is because the camera is essentially shooting through a piece of glass on top of its lens. So, it’s not surprising that the image quality is terrible.
What will happen to Dynamic Island?
At the very least, with Apple going with an under-screen Face ID system for the iPhone 18 Pro, the notch could be reduced further. However, given that Apple made such a big deal out of Dynamic Island, we have to wonder how the company will approach this change. Dynamic Island seems gimmicky at first, but there are times when I have found it useful.
This includes keeping track of my ride-hailing or food delivery apps, the timer, music apps, and so on. In any case, take this with a grain of salt for now. The iPhone 17 series hasn’t even been announced yet, so there’s still a lot of time for things to change.
