SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 26, 2026, 03:50 PST
- Leaks suggest the iPhone 18 Pro will feature a slimmer Dynamic Island cutout
- Supply-chain reports link the redesign to a new OLED panel and Face ID hardware hidden beneath the display
- Apple shares slipped a bit during premarket trading
Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro might feature a slimmer “Dynamic Island”—that pill-shaped cutout housing the selfie camera and Face ID sensors—according to a new leak suggesting a narrower opening. Shares of Apple slipped about 0.2% in premarket trading. 1
This buzz is significant since Apple has been treading carefully toward a sleeker, more immersive display while keeping Face ID intact. Reducing the size of the visible cutout would mark the first major front-design change in years—an upgrade Apple could tout as a step closer to a true all-screen iPhone.
Recent leaks reveal how quickly the rumor mill spins: the smaller centered cutout has returned to the spotlight, despite previous chatter about Apple moving the front camera to a top-left punch-hole. Some mock-ups featured an off-center cutout, which others dismissed as just an early schematic oddity rather than Apple’s ultimate design. 2
According to Gizmochina, citing leaker yeux1122, Apple might tuck an infrared sensor underneath the AMOLED panel — a kind of OLED screen — which would let the visible cutout shrink. The Dynamic Island could slim down to about 13.49 mm, compared to roughly 20.76 mm on the iPhone 17 Pro, while staying centered and roughly the same height. 3
A separate supply-chain report hints at a tech shift behind the scenes. ChannelNews, quoting South Korea’s ETNews, suggests the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max might feature LTPO-plus OLED panels — a more power-efficient display backplane. This upgrade could also allow Apple to hide the Face ID infrared sensor under the screen. According to the report, Samsung Display and LG Display are the only suppliers capable of producing these panels at scale, which could edge out China’s BOE from the Pro lineup. The report also mentions a redesigned M6 MacBook Pro using the same panel tech. 4
AppleInsider reports that the base iPhone 18 might not arrive until early 2027, with Apple focusing on the Pro models for its September 2026 launch. The site also mentions expected internal upgrades, including a new A20 chip and increased memory, although Apple has yet to confirm any schedule changes. 5
Ross Young, a retired display analyst quoted by 9to5Mac, confirmed a theory about the Dynamic Island shrinking instead of vanishing, saying: “Yes this is what I alluded to months ago.” According to the report, only some Face ID parts might shift under the display, while the selfie camera and other hardware stay put in a smaller, centered cutout that still powers the Dynamic Island interface. 6
Samsung and other rivals have been fitting tiny punch-hole cameras on their flagship phones for a while now, while some foldables tuck cameras beneath the display—though usually with some compromises. Apple, on the other hand, has turned to the Dynamic Island to transform the cutout into a design highlight instead of a distraction.
Performance is still the big question mark: under-display cameras often appear hazy since light has to pass through OLED layers. Reviewers also caution that relocating Face ID hardware beneath the screen might weaken infrared signals, especially in dim lighting. The iPhone 18 Pro hasn’t been announced yet, and Apple could still tweak the component layout during testing and production. 7
Leaks so far suggest the next Pro iPhones will feature a smaller Dynamic Island, not one that’s gone entirely. Apple has stayed silent on these rumors.
