Apple’s biggest iPhone 18 Pro design change just hit a massive wall

Rumors about Apple’s redesign of the iPhone 18 Pro may have been exaggerated. The company was rumored to ditch the Dynamic Island and replace it with a camera opening on the front of its upcoming displays. However, the latest rumors claim that things are not going according to plan.

Apple’s under-display Face ID upgrade has reportedly been cancelled

Apple may have encountered various challenges with the development of the first under-display version of Face ID. According to a report (source in Chinese) from Weibo leaker Fixed Focus Digital, the company’s progress is going much slower than previously anticipated, which has forced the company to change its strategy.

Instead of aiming for significant design changes to the front of the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple may resort to more incremental refinements. The company’s near-term strategy would rely on a smaller Face ID, allowing a more compact design, as the fully hidden sensors and front camera are not giving the desired results. The leaker says that part of the issue is the performance of the front-facing camera, which apparently doesn’t meet Apple’s standards.

In line with other rumors

That new report is not all that surprising, despite the mixed reports about the iPhone 18 Pro models. Some of the most recent rumors about the devices have claimed that there will be a reduced Dynamic Island, featuring some Face ID components beneath the display. 



However, Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station claimed that Apple will reuse most of the iPhone 17 Pro components, leaving any radical design change for later generations. That tracks with the general mood of the most recent iPhone 18 Pro rumors. The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to launch in the fall, alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone.

Don’t fix what’s not broken

The Dynamic Island is a prime example of Apple’s ability to turn a problem into something most people like to use. Instead of an eyesore, the space around the cameras got a nice set of features and visual elements that made it useful. While ditching it altogether will be great, I don’t think anybody will suddenly start having an issue with the Dynamic Island.

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