iPhone 18 Pro Series to Feature Under-Display Face ID and Smaller Camera Cutout

Apple is finally expected to take a major step forward in display design with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. According to a trusted source on Weibo—Digital Chat Station—these next-gen flagships will adopt under-display Face ID and HIAA tech for a cleaner, more immersive screen.

Dynamic Island to Shrink in iPhone 17, Disappear in iPhone 18

While the iPhone 17 Pro Max is rumored to feature a smaller Dynamic Island thanks to Apple’s metalens technology, it won’t disappear entirely just yet. The full transformation is set for 2026, with the iPhone 18 Pro series leading the charge toward an almost all-screen front design.

Display Specs: Bigger and Better

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will come with slightly larger OLED displays:

iPhone 18 Pro: 6.27-inch LTPO OLED

iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.86-inch LTPO OLED

Resolution: 1.5K (higher than the current 1179x2556 on the iPhone 15 Pro)

Technology: HIAA (Hole-in-Active-Area) to accommodate the selfie camera

Under-Display Face ID: A Technological Leap

Face ID uses a trio of infrared-based components:

Infrared camera

Flood illuminator

Dot projector

Most under-display camera systems today are optimized for visible light, not infrared, which posed a challenge for Apple’s Face ID system. However, reports say Apple has successfully prototyped a working under-display Face ID, suggesting it has overcome the tech barrier—possibly by developing custom IR-transparent display layers.

This shift has been rumored for years (dating back to iPhone 15), but insiders now claim iPhone 18 is the first model to get it—unless unexpected delays push the feature back again.

Final Thoughts

If all goes to plan, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will offer a major leap in both design and technology, delivering:

Bigger displays

Smaller camera cutouts

Under-screen Face ID

A more seamless user experience

Apple is once again refining its all-screen vision—2026 could mark the end of the Dynamic Island era.