A Weibo leaker claims that the iPhone 18 will use a smaller Dynamic Island, but at the same time insists it won't move Face ID under the display.
Barely days after Apple introduced the iPhone 17, the rumor mill is back in business for the iPhone 18. This time, it is a revival of long-running claims about the front camera system and Face ID.
According to a late Saturday post by Weibo leaker Instant Digital, also going by Setsuna Digital, Apple's planning to have a "slightly narrower pill" for the iPhone 18. By this, the leaker means the Dynamic Island will take up less space at the top of the display.
The reason for the shrink is due to changes in components, meaning there will be less to cover up with the UI element. While this could be made by creating under-display versions of components that exist there, the leaker adds that this won't be the case.
The post states that the future model "does not have under-screen Face ID or an under-screen camera," based on computerized translation.
A repeated but varying rumor
Under-screen cameras have repeatedly surfaced in rumors, as it is a way to remove the last remaining visible elements interrupting a true edge-to-edge display. By putting the cameras and sensors of the TrueDepth array under the screen's surface, this should allow for a nice and clean display to exist.
It's an engineering challenge as the various sensors have to work behind the pixels, which can get in the way. Currently, Apple has to rely on cut-outs for the components to have a clear view of your face and the world.
This hasn't stopped rumors from spreading. For example, the very credible Ross Young of Counterpoint Research, formerly Display Supply Chain Consultants, offered expectations in May that an under-display Face ID would happen in 2026, but a selfie camera would need more development.
Fellow Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station made multiple posts, saying in May that under-display Face ID was on the way for the iPhone 18 Pro. They insisted later the same month that the technology would be perfected for the iPhone 19 in 2027.
By June, the same leaker reiterated the expectations of under-display Face ID paired with a punch-hole camera.
Weibo leakers don't have the best reputation when it comes to iPhone claims, as they tend to recirculate rumors heard elsewhere in a bid to get a sizable following. In the case of Instant Digital, they do have a better track record when it comes to leaks, including a good level of success surrounding Camera Control.
