Apple’s 2026 flagship may finally deliver the long-awaited under-screen Face ID technology, according to new industry reports. Sources in the supply chain suggest that Apple has approved early prototypes of a next-generation Face ID system that hides the infrared projector and dot-matrix sensors beneath the display.
The move would allow Apple to shrink or completely remove the Dynamic Island, leaving only a small punch-hole for the front camera on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. This aligns with Apple’s long-term roadmap, which has repeatedly targeted 2026 as the transition year toward a more seamless screen design.
The under-panel system is said to use improved optical transmission layers and a revised sensor layout from LG and Samsung Display, enabling Face ID to function accurately even through the OLED panel. Reports also note that Apple is testing anti-reflection and compensation algorithms to maintain the same security performance as the current hardware.
However, insiders warn the feature may be limited to the Pro models initially, with the standard iPhone 18 expected to retain the Dynamic Island cutout.
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