Despite the competition opting for in-display front-facing cameras or hole-punch cutouts, Apple has defiantly gone its own way by using a cutout it calls Dynamic Island. While Dynamic Island has shrunk a bit over the years, it’s still rather prominent, but that could change next year. According to the latest rumors , Apple is testing an in-screen Face ID solution for the iPhone 18.
Apple testing in-screen Face ID for iPhone 18
According to the post on Weibo, tipster Smart Pikachu claims that Apple has gotten the necessary materials to test an in-screen Face ID system for the iPhone 18 . However, don’t get too excited just yet. For starters, Apple testing out the system does not guarantee it will make the cut. We imagine that Apple probably went through dozens of design ideas for the iPhone 18 already.
Secondly, the in-screen Face ID won’t give us a completely seamless look just yet. Instead, if successful, Apple will switch to a hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera. This means that while Face ID’s TrueDepth camera system can be hidden under the display, the camera won’t.
This would make the iPhone 18 look similar to other competing Android phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, which last we heard will continue using a hole-punch cutout. However, the cutout should be smaller than Dynamic Island, making it less obvious. That being said, this could mean the loss of Dynamic Island’s Live Activities feature. It is quite a useful feature, and we’re sure some will miss it if it’s taken away.
No under-display camera yet
We’re not surprised that Apple isn’t transitioning to a full under-display camera setup yet. We’ve seen some Android phones use the technology in the past. While it does offer a more seamless look, the photo quality is questionable. This is because the camera needs to be able to capture images through the display, further reducing its quality.
This is also the reason why even though the tech is available, it isn’t widely-adopted yet. We have heard rumors that Apple could go all-in with its 20th anniversary iPhone . The device, expected to launch in 2027, is rumored to sport an all-glass design. In any case, nothing is official yet to take it with a grain of salt for now.
But if you’re in no rush to upgrade, then maybe waiting to see what the iPhone 18 series brings to the table in 2026 might be a good idea.
