Apple’s iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could introduce a significant design overhaul, with under-screen Face ID technology and a single visible camera hole in the top-left corner of the display, according to a leak from Digital Chat Station on Weibo.
The leak suggests Apple is currently testing 3D facial recognition hidden beneath the display, using what is described as a “single HIAA hole” design.
Meanwhile, the standard iPhone 18 and 18 Air models are expected to retain the current “2+1 hole” configuration used in the Dynamic Island feature.
If confirmed, this shift would mark a major leap in Apple’s display technology, as Face ID relies on projecting thousands of infrared dots to create a facial map, a process traditionally hindered by OLED screens, which can scatter infrared light.
To implement under-display Face ID without compromising display quality, Apple will need to overcome significant technical challenges, potentially through new hardware or innovative software processing.
The iPhone 18 series is not expected until 2027, with the Pro models launching in spring and standard versions following six months later under a newly adjusted release schedule.
The milestone device will also coincide with the 20th anniversary of the original iPhone and may launch alongside Apple’s long-rumoured foldable model.
