Apple is moving towards a completely clean front design for its smartphones. The company began an intensive testing phase with prototypes of the iPhone 18 Pro line, which incorporate Face ID technology completely under the screen, eliminating the need for Dynamic Island, a feature introduced in the iPhone 14 Pro. Essa change represents one of the most significant advances in device design in years.
The information indicates that the front camera, the only element that would remain visible, would be repositioned to the top left corner of the display. Essa change seeks to maximize usable screen area, providing a more immersive viewing experience for users, especially in full-screen applications, videos and games.
Prototypes are currently in the hardware validation phase, a crucial stage to ensure the new technology works reliably and meets Apple’s rigorous quality standards. If the tests are successful, the new models are expected to be officially launched to the public in September 2026.
The evolution of the front design on iPhones
The design of the front of iPhones has been a field of constant evolution, marking different eras for the product. The journey began in a remarkable way with the iPhone Anos later, with the release of the iPhone 14 Agora, tests with the iPhone 18 Pro signal the next logical step on this trajectory: the almost total invisibility of the sensors. The ability to hide the facial recognition system under the OLED panel without compromising its functionality or the quality of the screen is an engineering feat that the industry has sought for years, and the Apple appears to be close to achieving it, aiming for a device with a front made up almost entirely of screen.
Technical details of the new Face ID under screen
Successful implementation of the Face ID under the display depends on complex advances in materials and optical components. Para ensures that TrueDepth sensors work correctly through the OLED panel, Apple is testing the use of micro-transparency glass, which allows the passage of infrared light essential for facial mapping without causing noticeable visual distortions on the display. Early results from internal testing are promising, indicating that the technology maintains the accuracy and biometric security that have made the Face ID a market benchmark, functioning effectively in a variety of lighting conditions.
Essa reengineering of the sensor system also forces an adjustment in the positioning of the selfie camera, which in current prototypes has been moved to the top left corner. This change frees up the central space needed for the Face hidden ID components, resulting in a small circular hole, considerably less intrusive than the Dynamic Island. The company’s Engenheiros in
Expected specifications for the iPhone 18 Pro
In addition to the revolution in front design, the iPhone 18 Pro series should bring a significant leap in performance. The heart of the device will be the new A20 Pro processor, which must be manufactured with 2 nanometer technology, promising gains of up to 15% in performance and greater energy efficiency.
The Super Retina XDR screen with LTPO technology will maintain the ProMotion refresh rate of 120 Hz, with sizes of 6.3 inches for the Pro model and 6.9 inches for the
The rear camera system will continue with a triple array, led by 48-megapixel main sensors, but with the addition of a variable aperture system for more precise control of depth of field. The front camera should also receive an upgrade, reaching 18 megapixels with improved autofocus, and the device will be capable of recording videos in 8K resolution with advanced stabilization.
Internal storage options should vary between 256 GB, 512 GB and 1 TB. Outras improvements include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 connectivity and the maintenance of features such as the action button and a dedicated camera control, consolidating the device as a powerful tool for content creators.
Comparison with competitor solutions
The quest for a tear-free display is not exclusive to the Apple, with manufacturers in the Android ecosystem exploring under-display sensor technologies for some time. Samsung, for example, implemented hidden front cameras in its Galaxy Z Fold line of foldables, although the image quality captured by these cameras is still noticeably inferior to that of solutions with a hole or notch.
Other brands, including Google and several Chinese companies, have also tested similar implementations on their premium devices. However, many of these solutions have prioritized aesthetics over functionality, sacrificing the accuracy of advanced facial recognition systems. The Face ID of Apple, in turn, maintains a considerable advantage in security and speed, and the company’s challenge is precisely to preserve this superiority with the new hidden technology.
Benefits for the end user
The main advantage for the consumer will be the improved visual experience. Removing Dynamic Island results in a larger usable screen area, making consuming content, such as videos and games, a much more immersive activity, without any type of cutout or pill to distract attention.
The facial recognition system, even hidden, was designed to maintain the same speed and reliability as the current system, ensuring that unlocking the device and authenticating in applications remain fast and secure processes, without requiring any adaptation on the part of the user.
Although positioning the front camera in the corner could, theoretically, change the composition of selfies and video calls, the expectation is that the Apple will use advanced software algorithms to compensate for this change, making automatic framing adjustments to maintain the naturalness of the images.
Other news in the iPhone 18 line
The Apple strategy must maintain a clear differentiation between standard models and Pro. Enquanto the Pro line will advance with Face ID technology under the screen, the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Plus models will likely maintain the Dynamic Island, receiving more incremental updates to the processor and camera array.
iOS 27, which will come pre-installed across the series, will bring specific optimizations for the new hardware, with an even greater focus on artificial intelligence features, which will benefit from the enhanced Neural Engine processing power on the A20 Pro chip.
Launch prospects
Maintaining its tradition, Apple is expected to present the new iPhone 18 line at its annual event in September 2026.
