As Apple prepares to unveil the iPhone 17 Pro later this year, the tech industry is already looking ahead to what could be the most radical iPhone design transformation in years. Early reports and credible leaks suggest that the iPhone 18 Pro, anticipated for a 2026 release, will introduce a groundbreaking innovation—Face ID sensors embedded directly beneath the display.
While Apple is known for its incremental design upgrades and cautious approach to radical shifts, the rumored move to under-screen biometric authentication marks a rare leap forward. This isn’t just a design enhancement; it’s a redefinition of how users interact with their smartphones.
The Vision for a Notch-Free Future
Ever since Apple introduced the notch with the iPhone X in 2017, the company has faced a balancing act—delivering sophisticated biometric security features without sacrificing display aesthetics. The notch was a necessary compromise, housing the TrueDepth camera system required for Face ID. However, it also disrupted the edge-to-edge screen illusion, something that competing Android brands often touted as a visual advantage.
In 2022, Apple introduced the Dynamic Island with the iPhone 14 Pro, a more elegant integration that transformed the notch into a pill-shaped cutout with interactive software animations. The Dynamic Island was widely praised for turning a design limitation into a functional element, blending hardware and software in a quintessential Apple fashion.
Still, users and industry analysts alike have continued to crave a completely unbroken display. And with the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple appears poised to finally deliver.
Under-Display Face ID: The Details So Far
Renowned display industry analyst Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC), revealed during a presentation at the SID Business Conference that under-screen Face ID is expected to debut in 2026. Young cited advancements from OTI Lumionics, a materials science company specializing in next-generation OLED technologies, as the key enabler of this transition.
Michael Helander, CEO of OTI Lumionics, confirmed during the conference that phones using their under-panel display materials will enter the market by 2026. Though he didn’t name Apple directly, OTI’s well-documented collaboration with major smartphone manufacturers—including Apple—makes the connection more than plausible.
Young elaborated that the iPhone 18 Pro models will likely be the first to adopt this technology. According to his predictions, Face ID sensors will be fully hidden under the screen, with only a single punch-hole cutout remaining for the front-facing camera.
How Will It Work?
Current Face ID technology relies on an array of sensors: an infrared camera, dot projector, and flood illuminator, among others. Embedding this suite of sensors beneath the display is no small feat. It requires a display that can temporarily become transparent to infrared light while still maintaining image quality, brightness, and touch responsiveness.
OTI Lumionics claims to have developed a solution that leverages advanced cathode patterning materials and OLED technology to allow Face ID components to operate invisibly. Their innovation involves creating tiny transparent windows within the display matrix, allowing biometric systems to function without visible cutouts.
This isn’t entirely unprecedented—Android manufacturers like ZTE and Samsung have experimented with under-display cameras and fingerprint sensors. However, image quality and performance have been mixed at best. Blurry selfies and inaccurate biometric readings have plagued early implementations. Apple, in characteristic fashion, seems to be taking its time to perfect the technology.
Why Apple’s Approach Might Work
Apple’s philosophy has always been to prioritize user experience over being first to market. This is why Face ID under the display hasn’t arrived sooner. Apple’s version is expected to offer uncompromising security, reliable speed, and seamless integration.
Sources indicate that Apple has been testing the under-display Face ID system internally for multiple years. The tech giant reportedly demanded strict quality standards, which delayed its release beyond previous predictions that had under-screen Face ID arriving in 2024 or 2025.
Furthermore, the company’s dedication to hardware-software synergy plays a crucial role here. Apple is likely optimizing iOS to complement the invisible Face ID sensors with subtle animations and feedback cues that make the experience intuitive and reliable.
The Design Impact: A Cleaner, Immersive Display
From a design standpoint, the removal of the Dynamic Island (or at least its hardware basis) would usher in the cleanest iPhone front yet. Imagine a screen with no cutouts—just a single camera pinhole, possibly offset to the top-left corner. It’s a minimalist’s dream and a significant aesthetic upgrade.
While the Dynamic Island has proven to be useful for multitasking, alerts, and live activities, its existence is tied to the hardware cutout. If that’s removed, Apple could evolve the feature into a software-only UI element—something that appears dynamically as needed anywhere on the screen.
This would give Apple flexibility to create an even more adaptive and immersive user interface, free from the constraints of physical design elements.
What About the Camera?
It’s important to note that, as of now, Apple does not plan to embed the front-facing camera under the display. That technology, while available on some Android phones, is still not mature enough for Apple’s strict image quality standards. Under-display cameras currently suffer from poor light capture, smudging, and color distortion.
Industry insiders suggest that Apple will retain a visible punch-hole camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models, though smaller and less intrusive than current configurations. A fully invisible front camera is likely several more years away.
A Broader Trend: Apple’s Display Roadmap
Apple has been investing heavily in custom display technologies over the past decade. From the Retina display to ProMotion and Ceramic Shield, each generation of iPhone has introduced new visual innovations.
The move to under-screen Face ID fits neatly into this broader roadmap. Apple is reportedly working on MicroLED displays for future Apple Watch models and possibly iPhones. These panels would offer better brightness, contrast, and energy efficiency—further supporting embedded sensor integration.
Moreover, Apple’s acquisition of display-focused startups and its increasing reliance on in-house components suggest that the company is building toward a future where displays not only look better but also enable entirely new features.
Competitive Landscape: Apple vs. Android
While Android OEMs have already dipped their toes into under-display sensors, none have achieved the level of performance and polish that Apple demands. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold line features an under-display camera, but users often note its degraded photo quality and the visible outline of the sensor under certain lighting.
If Apple delivers under-screen Face ID with no performance compromises, it would likely leapfrog these early implementations and set a new industry standard—much as Face ID did when it first launched in 2017.
Google, OnePlus, and Xiaomi are all rumored to be working on similar technologies, but few details are available about their timelines or expected performance levels.
What Users Can Expect from the iPhone 18 Pro
Though the iPhone 18 Pro is still over a year away, here’s what current rumors and leaks suggest Apple fans can look forward to:
- Under-Display Face ID: Secure facial authentication without any visible hardware on the front screen.
- Smaller Punch-Hole Camera: The front camera will remain but be less visually intrusive.
- Sleeker Design: A nearly full-screen display experience with minimal distractions.
- Software Evolution of Dynamic Island: A floating, flexible software feature that adapts to context.
- Display Improvements: Likely to include next-gen OLED or early MicroLED technology.
- No Compromise on Security or Performance: Apple will only release the feature if it matches current Face ID reliability.
Timeline and Release Expectations
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 Pro lineup in September 2026, consistent with its annual release cycle. As with past iPhone launches, leaks and more concrete specs will likely emerge throughout 2025 and early 2026.
There’s always a chance plans could shift. Apple’s supply chain partners must be able to mass-produce the necessary display components at scale, and any hiccups in this process could push the feature to a future model.
Final Thoughts: A Defining Moment for iPhone Design
If the iPhone 18 Pro indeed introduces under-display Face ID, it will mark one of the most significant leaps in smartphone design since the original iPhone. It’s not just about making the device look better; it’s about refining the user experience to the point where powerful hardware fades into the background, letting the interface shine.
Apple’s meticulous approach, combined with its history of turning complex technologies into simple, elegant solutions, makes this transition worth watching closely. And while 2026 might seem far off, the seeds of that transformation are being sown today.
In a world where every inch of screen space matters, Apple is poised to give users what they’ve long been waiting for: a truly edge-to-edge iPhone display—powered by invisible innovation.
Sources:
- Ross Young, DSCC Analyst via SID Business Conference
- Michael Helander, CEO of OTI Lumionics
- Reports from MacRumors, 9to5Mac, and AppleInsider
(Used for additional insights and confirmations)
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