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Apple’s no stranger to making some big design changes, and recent rumors indicated that the iPhone 18 Pro’s main display could be getting a major overhaul. However, unlike with the iPhone 17 Pro redesign, this is one I really wouldn’t want to see.
In a recent post, known leaker IceUniverse shared a mockup of the iPhone 18 Pro display to reveal more about the redesigned Dynamic Island. According to the leaker, Apple plans to reduce the width of the Island to 13.5mm, compared to the 20.7mm width of the Island seen on the iPhone 17 Pro series. That’s about a 35% reduction overall, and it certainly looks much more impressive than some of the rumored alternatives.
For reference, there’s been a fair amount of confusion about the fate of the selfie cameras and Face ID on the next generation of iPhones. We had seen leaks that Apple could move the camera to the top left instead, or even place the camera and Face ID under the main display. However, another leak recently appeared that indicated this was all due to a mistranslation and that no such changes are going to occur.
Personally, this seems like the more sensible option to me, and here’s why.
Central selfie cameras are generally better
While I can see the advantages of moving the selfie camera to the left-hand corner of the display when it comes to visual appeal, I have a serious problem with it when it comes to usability.
Having the camera in the top corner drastically changes how we take images and calls while using the phone. For one thing, it makes it much harder to line up the camera with our eyes, which in turn leads to images that appear slightly awkward. On top of that, when setting up the image, you have to work to make sure your face is central in the display, rather than simply aligning with the camera.
Having a corner set camera also makes taking video calls a lot more awkward. The problem is that you naturally end up looking at the screen rather than the camera, as that’s where the person speaking is. This isn’t a problem when the camera is placed in the center of the phone, but if you have the camera to the left, then it means that (to the other person) you’re never making eye contact.
It’s still better than having it under the display
There was also some talk about having the selfie camera under the display, although this would possibly be on future iPhones rather than the iPhone 18 Pro. Personally, this would be the worst outcome overall due to how under-display cameras negatively affect the image quality overall.
The problem is that, when you place the camera under the display, the light needed for the image has to pass through layers of the OLED display. So, you end up with photos that appear blurry or hazy. We have seen other phones use this design, and it never ends well. For instance, the RedMagic 11 Pro’s selfie images are of a noticeably lower quality than those of other comparable devices like the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
The same is true when it comes to placing the Face ID under the display, which can see a marked decrease in efficacy when placed underneath the screen. Once again, this is due to the screen adding more layers in the sensors' way, which can impact the infrared sensors' signals, especially in low-light environments.
Currently, Apple is remaining characteristically tight-lipped about the new phone's actual features and design. So, we won’t know the actual direction that the company is taking until the official unveiling, which is expected for early September. With that in mind, let us know which you prefer, an under-display setup or a smaller Dynamic Island overall.
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