Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro might finally trim down the Dynamic Island and shrink its front-facing camera cutout, according to fresh leaks. While rumors about the new design vary-some claim Apple will switch to a hole-punch cutout in the top left corner, others say it will look almost identical to the iPhone 17 Pro-most insiders agree that Apple won’t fully embed Face ID and the selfie camera under the AMOLED display just yet.
Instead, the most plausible move appears to be a partial integration of sensors underneath the screen, reducing the size of the notch but not eliminating it altogether. New photos leaked on China’s Weibo platform back this up, showing screen protectors with noticeably smaller holes for the front camera.
The width of the Dynamic Island, which currently measures 20.76 mm, could shrink to about 13.49 mm-a roughly one-third reduction. This not only means less obstruction of your screen content but also provides extra room inside the Dynamic Island itself for widgets and app information.
Apple continues to lean heavily into the Dynamic Island for displaying background tasks like navigation directions, timers, and music playback controls. Expanding this space lets the company pack more mini-widgets with useful info without crowding the rest of the screen.
Slimmer Dynamic Island and screen cutout on iPhone 18 Pro
It’s expected that this updated, more compact Dynamic Island will arrive exclusively on the Pro models. The standard iPhone 18 is rumored to stick with a larger notch and won’t launch until spring 2027-about six months after the iPhone 18 Pro, the larger Max variant, and an anticipated folding iPhone Fold are released.
iPhone 18 Pro design compared to Android rivals
Compared to Apple’s rivals-Samsung and Google have been pushing in-screen cameras for years-the iPhone 18 Pro’s approach remains cautious. While Android flagships have started embedding front cameras under the screen, none have matched Apple’s facial recognition tech at scale. This partial integration might be the best balance between design and functionality Apple can achieve in the near future.
Dynamic Island’s evolving role in iOS interaction
Since its debut on the iPhone 14 Pro, the Dynamic Island has become a key user interface element. Shrinking it while expanding its capabilities could further cement its role in iOS interaction. The next question is how app developers will take advantage of this extra real estate. As for the notch, Apple’s gradual transition suggests that a fully invisible front camera may still be a few generations away.