Apple is reportedly testing under-display Face ID technology for its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models, potentially bringing a sleeker design with just a single hole-punch camera visible on the screen. The claim comes from prominent Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, who has a solid track record and ties to Apple’s supply chain.
According to the report, Apple is developing a version of its 3D facial recognition system that can function beneath an OLED display—an engineering feat that has long posed challenges due to the infrared technology Face ID relies on. The current system projects thousands of infrared dots to map a user’s face, a process that becomes tricky when trying to work through an OLED panel, which tends to block or distort IR signals.
To address this, Apple is believed to be testing new methods to allow more infrared light through select regions of the display without compromising image quality or security. This would require significant hardware and software redesigns to maintain the accuracy and reliability users expect from Face ID.
The under-display Face ID is expected to be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, launching in 2026. Standard iPhone 18 models and a new “iPhone 18 Air” will reportedly retain the Dynamic Island with two visible front-facing sensors and are now rumored to arrive in spring 2027, according to The Information and corroborated by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
The new design would leave only a small “hole-in-active-area” (HIAA) cutout for the front-facing camera—a technique pioneered by Samsung that embeds the camera within the active pixel zone, preserving more of the screen’s real estate.
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