Updated on January 27 with upcoming details for iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iPhone 18 displays.
According to a new report, the next Pro iPhone will have a major change in screen design. Although the size of the display has changed in recent years, the key element – the dynamic island – has remained the same. Meanwhile, another report promises a major upgrade to the iPhone 18’s display with improved brightness. And another report suggests something similar is happening with the iPhone 18 Pro Max. More details are provided below.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro: Is the display about to change in the next generation?
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Dynamic Island is a diamond-shaped area near the top of the display that first appeared on the iPhone 14 Pro when it arrived in September 2022. This replaces the large cutout found on all Face ID iPhones starting with the iPhone X. Currently, Apple’s current products only include it on the iPhone 16e.
Dynamic island set for first major renovation
It hasn’t changed since its introduction, but a new report says that will change with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max this fall. Earlier this month, there were rumors that the in-screen camera would move to the left, but this was later claimed to be a mistranslation in the press. So what’s going on?
“The dynamic island cutout width for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max has been reduced from 20.76mm to 13.49mm, which is about a 35% reduction,” Ice Universe, a prolific leaker with a rich track record, reported in X.
The cutouts are small, but visually they make a big difference
It’s obviously not the same as a single circular lens looking through, but it’s a big enough change that you notice it right away. Perhaps the comment that comes to mind is, “Oh, you got a new Pro iPhone.”
Perhaps the component that makes Face ID work, the flood illuminator, is hidden beneath the display instead of being visible through it, which could be responsible for the smaller size.
Which iPhones will miss out on this change?
A previous leak commented that any changes made to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will not be reflected in the iPhone 18 or iPhone Air 2. I believe this about the iPhone 18 — the regular iPhone didn’t see its first Dynamic Island until a year after it appeared on the iPhone 14 Pro — I’m not sure, but I don’t think it applies to the iPhone Air 2 as well. First, because the phone won’t be released until 2027, according to some reports, and second, because it’s marketed as a premium iPhone.
iPhone 18 new display leaks
As reported by MacRumors, a regular leaker named Instant Digital posted on Weibo that a Chinese supplier called BOE has “little hope of producing panels for the iPhone 18 due to Apple’s unprecedented brightness requirements for next-generation devices.”
The obvious result of this is that the iPhone 18 is trying to be brighter than it actually is. The current model, iPhone 17, is the first to be equipped with a Super Retina XDR display. It provides 1,000 nits of typical brightness, 1,600 nits of peak brightness (HDR), and 3,000 nits of peak brightness outdoors. Based on BOE’s experience, the iPhone 18 is expected to surpass this.
Interestingly, the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro have the same brightness levels, so it makes sense that the iPhone 18 Pro is aiming for a brighter screen as well. It seems unlikely that the iPhone 18 could somehow beat the iPhone 18 Pro’s display, especially since the current iPhone 17 is the first regular iPhone to match the ProMotion capabilities of the Pro and Air iPhones.
Another report from Geeky Gadgets suggests that the iPhone 18 Pro Max may also feature a brighter display. “The iPhone 18 Pro Max is the first to feature Samsung’s LTPO Plus display technology, delivering brighter visuals and improved energy efficiency.”
That’s possible because these types of displays are designed to consume less power, in line with Apple’s goals of extending battery life and promoting sustainability.Although a full under-display sensor remains an aspiration for the future, LTPO Plus represents a meaningful step forward for users who demand superior screen quality and extended use on a single charge. “Max is guaranteed to deliver a premium viewing experience while maintaining its reputation for reliability,” the report continues.
He added that the A20 Pro chip, which is expected to power the next iPhone, will feature a 2-nanometer architecture for higher energy efficiency and will provide the most seamless performance by switching to an Apple C-series modem instead of a Qualcomm modem.
In another report, the same site claims that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will come with under-display Face ID, calling this a technological milestone. This is consistent with other reports and makes sense that the dynamic island will shrink.
As the report points out, a smaller dynamic island means not only are the cutouts less noticeable, but the entire screen is more immersive. The company says it adapts to user feedback and strikes a balance between functionality and aesthetics. And Apple is certainly a company that takes beauty seriously.
It warned that “fully under-display Face ID remains a challenge as components such as the infrared camera still require visible placement,” but argued that what Apple called its cautious approach “means biometric security and performance remain intact even as we push the boundaries of design.”
The report claims that the first step is repositioning the flood illuminator below the display, as mentioned above. This alone will hide some of it, creating a smaller dynamic island that looks more streamlined.
“This incremental advancement underscores the company’s dedication to reliability and accuracy and sets the stage for future innovations in facial recognition technology.”
While fewer interruptions to the display would no doubt result in a more appealing effect, glaring problems remain. Achieving display transparency while maintaining sensor accuracy are two of those things, and literally “achieving consistent manufacturing quality.”
There’s still more than seven months until the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are released, so there’s plenty of time to overcome any issues or other roadblocks. And the ultimate design goal – a screen without cutouts or obstructions – is still some way off. But if the reports mentioned here are anything to go by, Apple is moving cautiously but surely in that direction.
We will update this story as more details leak.
