Will the standard iPhone 18 and Air also get this change?

Standard iPhone 18 models and the iPhone Air 2 will reportedly retain the traditional Dynamic Island, making the Pro models feel like a genuine technological leap.

When is the iPhone 18 Pro expected to launch?

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected in September 2026 alongside Apple's first foldable iPhone. The standard iPhone 18 moves to a spring 2027 cycle as part of a new split-launch strategy.

Will the Dynamic Island still be interactive after the shrink?

Yes, Dynamic Island remains as an interactive technology. Shrinking it means less visible screen intrusion, not a removal of the feature. Developers will need minor UI adaptations.

Is a smaller Dynamic Island alone worth upgrading from iPhone 17 Pro?

If you're on iPhone 16 Pro or earlier: the smaller Dynamic Island is a visible upgrade every time you look at your screen. If you're on iPhone 17 Pro: the camera and sensor arrangement are essentially the same — you'll still notice the smaller cutout, but it's a smaller jump.

Will the smaller Dynamic Island affect Face ID performance?

Apple is only moving the flood illuminator — the simplest optical component. The dot projector and infrared camera remain in the visible cutout, meaning Face ID performance should be identical to current generations.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max to Get Smaller Dynamic Island — Face ID Flood Illuminator Moves Under Display for September 2026

iPhone 18 Pro Gets a Smaller Dynamic Island — Biggest Design Change Since 2022

Multiple leaks from credible sources now converge on one clear claim: the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will carry a meaningfully smaller Dynamic Island in September 2026.

How Much Smaller — 25 to 35%

Leaked iPhone 18 Pro CAD renders confirm a 25% smaller Dynamic Island, thanks to Apple moving the Face ID flood illuminator under the display.

On a 6.3-inch display, a 30% reduction in the pill cutout is noticeable. Once you see the reduced cutout, the current Dynamic Island will look oversized by comparison.

What Moves Under the Display and What Stays

Apple is moving only the flood illuminator — the simplest of the three Face ID components optically — under the display. The dot projector, infrared camera, and selfie camera remain in a reduced but still-present pill cutout.

Why the Dynamic Island Won't Disappear Entirely

Because Face ID sensors aren't moving entirely under the display this year, the notch isn't going extinct just yet. However, by tucking the Face ID's flood illuminator beneath the display, Apple will finally be able to shrink the footprint.

Sources — Exceptional Credibility Convergence

These names now align on the same claim: Mark Gurman at Bloomberg (institutional, independent), Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants (industry expertise), multiple Weibo leakers, and screen protector photos from Ice Universe.

When differently-sourced signals converge on the same specific claim — not just "smaller Dynamic Island" but "smaller because the flood illuminator moves under the panel" — that specificity matters. Vague rumors drift; precise ones with matching technical detail tend to be tracking something real.

Apple's Roadmap to a Notch-Free iPhone

Display Supply Chain Consultants described a two-stage path: migrate Face ID under the panel while keeping a camera cutout, then move the selfie camera under the panel in a later generation once image quality meets Apple's bar. The current leak pattern maps onto stage one almost exactly.

One Important Caveat

Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station claimed the iPhone 18 Pro won't have a smaller Dynamic Island at all, with the slimmed-down Dynamic Island delayed until the iPhone 19. We'll know for sure in a few months.