- Apple plans under-display Face ID for iPhone 18 series in 2026, says leak
- Testing uses spliced micro-transparent glass for IR light passage under screen
- Dynamic Island expected to shrink, keeping only front camera cutout visible
Apple could finally deliver under-display Face ID in 2026 with the iPhone 18 series, according to a fresh leak from a credible Chinese source.
A well-known Weibo leaker who goes by “Smart Pikachu” — previously accurate on Chinese Android supply-chain details — claims Apple is actively testing an in-screen Face ID solution that uses a special “spliced micro-transparent glass” window integrated into the display panel. This tiny transparent region allows the infrared light from the TrueDepth sensor array to pass through the screen with minimal distortion, while the rest of the display remains unchanged.
The technique is similar to existing micro-perforated or nano-etched glass methods already used by some Android manufacturers to hide IR-based face-unlock sensors under the screen.
The leaker adds that Apple's testing has already pushed related component suppliers into high gear to prepare for possible mass production.
This report aligns with a growing number of rumours that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max — expected to launch in September 2026 — will feature under-display Face ID. Most analysts agree the Dynamic Island won't disappear entirely. Instead, it will shrink considerably because only the front-facing camera will still require a visible cutout, while the TrueDepth sensors move beneath the panel.
Display analyst Ross Young and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman have both predicted a noticeably smaller pill-shaped Dynamic Island on the 2026 Pro models. Also, an earlier report from The Information suggested Apple might reduce it to just a single pinhole in the upper-left corner.
The leak does not explicitly limit the feature to Pro models, but early-stage panel testing almost always focuses on the high-end devices first.
If the testing proves successful, 2026 could finally mark the end of the notch and the full realisation of an almost all-screen iPhone front — four years after Android flagships first started hiding Face ID equivalents under the display.
Watch LIVE TV, Get Stock Market Updates, Top Business, IPO and Latest News on NDTV Profit.