New iPhone 18 rumor says Face ID is disappearing under the screen
Apple might use new technology to shrink the notch on the next iPhone
š Apple is rumored to move Face ID behind the screen next year
š± The entire iPhone 18 series might adopt the new technology
ā This would effectively eliminate the notch
š¤³ Itās unclear if the selfie camera will also move under the screen
Apple might give the iPhone 18 lineup a highly anticipated upgrade.
The Face ID sensors in the notch at the top of the display might disappear and go behind the screen, according to a known Weibo leaker. Previous reports have hinted that Apple will eventually adopt under-display Face ID sensors, and now it sounds like the entire iPhone 18 lineup could get the visual upgrade.
Rumors have suggested that the notch and Dynamic Island at the top of the iPhone will shrink in the near future, and it seems like that could happen so long as the Face ID sensors go behind the screen. Given that the notch is expected to shrink and not disappear entirely, that could mean the selfie camera will remain in a cut-out at the top of the display. This would make sense given that under-display selfie cameras generally suck on every phone theyāre featured in.
To move the sensors underneath the display, Apple has to use special technology. In this case, the leaker says the company is utilizing āmicro-transparent glass panelsā that help the sensors āseeā through the display to recognize your face. We have yet to see an advanced facial recognition system like this move behind a screen, so itāll be interesting to see how well it works compared to traditional Face ID.
What remains unclear is which iPhones the new system could be featured on. While the leaker says the general āiPhone 18 seriesā will adopt the change, other rumors have only said the iPhone 18 Pro lineup will get it, while the regular iPhone 18 will stick with a notch.
That being said, Apple could have more time to integrate the technology into the more affordable iPhone since it isnāt expected to ship until 2027, whereas the more expensive iPhone 18 Pro will arrive in the fall of 2026. We also donāt know if itāll land in the next iPhone Air, and it isnāt expected to be featured in Appleās first foldable iPhone (that device will use Touch ID instead, according to rumors).
Weāll learn more about what to expect from the iPhone 18 in the months to come as we enter the new year, so stay tuned.
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. Heās been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.