iPhone 18 Pro: Leaked Renders Showcase Two Possible Display Designs
The fate of the Dynamic Island, a key feature of recent iPhone models, has become the subject of a fierce debate among the tech industry’s most reliable analysts. As Apple prepares for the future, two competing iPhone 18 Pro design rumors will directly impact the look and user experience of the company’s future flagships.
Scenario 1: The End of the Dynamic Island and a Single Hole-Punch
The iPhone 18 Pro design rumor comes from Wayne Ma of The Information, who reported last month that the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max would have “only a small hole cutout in the top-left corner to accommodate the front-facing camera.”
This phrasing suggests that Apple could abandon the Dynamic Island as a hardware cutout entirely. While the company could still display the familiar pill-shaped interface in iOS 27 software, the hardware prerequisites for it would no longer exist. To visualize this concept, developer Filip Vabroušek has created renders showing a minimalist display with a single, barely noticeable cutout.
Scenario 2: A Smaller, But Still Present, Dynamic Island
However, Ross Young, VP of Counterpoint Research, recently challenged that claim. Young insists that the iPhone 18 Pro will still have visible Face ID components under the display, which prevents a move to just a single camera cutout.
Because of this, Young believes the devices will retain the Dynamic Island, albeit in a “smaller” version compared to the one on models from the iPhone 14 Pro through the iPhone 16. Vabroušek has again created a visualization for this alternative scenario. This theory is supported by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has also reported that Apple will shrink the size of the Dynamic Island on at least some models launching next year.
What iPhone 18 Pro design Means for Users and the Future
This debate is not merely technical; it is of great importance to anyone planning an iPhone upgrade in the coming years, given how much time we spend looking at the screen.
Adding to the complexity is Young’s long-term forecast. He refuted claims that the anniversary iPhone, expected in 2027, will be the first model with a completely uninterrupted display. Young now believes the first iPhone with both Face ID and the front camera fully hidden under the screen will be released not until 2030, suggesting a true “all-screen” iPhone remains a full five years away.
