iPhone 18 Pro rumor reversal narrows Dynamic Island

• Key Takeaways:
• New reports say the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max will use partially under‑screen Face ID, not fully under‑screen as earlier claimed.
• The change would produce a narrower Dynamic Island rather than a seamless, invisible sensor area.
• Devices are still months from launch (about seven months); Apple may refine design before announcement.

What changed in the rumor thread

Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro series has been the subject of intense rumor activity well ahead of its expected release in roughly seven months. Earlier leaks suggested a move to fully under‑screen Face ID, leaving only a small front camera visible in the top‑left corner of the display.

More recent reports, however, reverse that claim: the new leaks indicate Face ID will be only partially under‑screen. That means some of the biometric hardware or its optical window will remain visible or occupy a dedicated display cutout area, resulting in a narrower Dynamic Island instead of a fully invisible solution.

How partial under‑screen Face ID affects design

Partial under‑screen Face ID implies Apple is blending hidden sensor tech with a visible element to house certain components. The net visual effect reported is a reduced Dynamic Island footprint — smaller than today’s but not fully eliminated.

For users this will change the handset’s front appearance compared with prior expectations. A narrower Dynamic Island still preserves the interactive UI space Apple introduced in recent iPhones while leaving room for the Face ID system to operate reliably.

Practical implications for users and Apple

A partially under‑screen approach can be a pragmatic compromise: it improves screen continuity over a larger notch or wide island while avoiding the engineering or yield challenges that can come with fully concealing sensors behind OLED pixels.

From a buyer’s perspective, the change is mainly aesthetic. It’s unlikely to alter core functionality such as Face ID security, camera performance, or battery life — but it will influence how seamless the front display looks in marketing shots and real‑world use.

What to watch next

With the release still months away, expect additional leaks, mockups, and possibly supply‑chain chatter that clarify how Apple implements the hybrid Face ID design. Apple could still iterate internally, so final design details might shift before official unveiling.

For now, the biggest takeaway is that iPhone 18 Pro models may move toward a sleeker front without fully hiding biometric hardware — a middle path between visible hardware and an invisible, fully under‑screen future.