Leaked iPhone 18 Pro screen protectors confirm whether Apple succeeded in its redesign

Apple has a grand three-year plan for the iPhone, which started with the redesigned iPhone 17 Pro models last year. The iPhone 18 Pro is next, planned to be released with a smaller Dynamic Island and a cool new twist.

Last, but most assuredly not least, is the stunning iPhone 20 Pro, with the iPhone Air and the foldable iPhone Ultra serving as extra cherries on top. A new leak shows off iPhone 18 Pro screen protectors, confirming whether Apple has succeeded in achieving a smaller Dynamic Island or not.

Leaked iPhone 18 Pro screen protectors

A new report (translated source) shows off leaked tempered glass screen protectors for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and the iPhone 18 Pro Max. As can clearly be seen in the images, the Dynamic Island here is noticeably smaller than the one found on the iPhone 17 Pro and prior.

According to the report, there is no confirmation as of yet about whether the base iPhone 18 model — which will come out early next year — will also feature a smaller Dynamic Island. Reports had emerged recently that claimed that Apple was having problems shrinking the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro, but the company seems to have finally found a way.

A smaller Dynamic Island, why and how?

Apple wants to give the iPhone 20 Pro a borderless, bezel-free display with no cutouts — Dynamic Island, punch holes, or anything similar — at all. The company wanted to start working towards that phone with the iPhone 18 Pro, which would have an under-display Face ID component and a smaller Dynamic Island as a result.

If the screen protectors are real — and there is a very good chance that they are, given the source — then Apple has succeeded. Recent reports had claimed that the under-display Face ID was sluggish and inaccurate, which would force Apple to abandon its plan this year.

There is also the possibility that Apple is not using under-display Face ID but has managed to shrink the Dynamic Island regardless. Though this won’t be as major a redesign as the iPhone 17 Pro was, it should nevertheless help iPhone sales further. After all, the iPhone 17 series has been a massive success across the world and the iPhone 18 lineup is poised to perform almost just as well.



However, it doesn’t seem like many Apple users would care too much for a smaller Dynamic Island. Apple’s approach to punch hole designs is pretty unique, and some of the customer base might even miss it when it’s gone. People likely won’t consider a smaller Dynamic Island as a big enough improvement to justify upgrading.

Your next iPhone purchase?

This year’s star iPhone is still the iPhone Ultra, which is what the foldable iPhone will be called according to reports. The iPhone 18 Pro will be a small upgrade, and its new Dark Cherry color might be a bigger reason for some customers to upgrade rather than the smaller Dynamic Island.

In addition, outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said in an interview that the company would be forced to increase prices due to the ongoing memory crisis across the tech industry. These price hikes for the iPhone are likely coming sooner than you think, and they will make the iPhone 18 Pro an even harder sell if it’s not a major improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro.

I’m ecstatic

I’ve mentioned countless times before how the iPhone 20 Pro breakthrough is something that I have been hoping for for a very long time. If Apple has succeeded in obtaining a usable under-display Face ID component for the iPhone 18 Pro, then an under-display camera — and the iPhone 20 Pro redesign overall — seems so much more plausible now.

That said, I still think that the iPhone 18 Pro is a filler episode between the iPhone 17 Pro and the iPhone 20 Pro, and I would still advise just waiting until next year for a vastly superior phone.

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