According to the leak, Apple is still deciding between two different design approaches for the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro, meaning the final appearance may not be locked yet despite the device being close to production.
What’s being considered
The leaker Digital Chat Station suggests Apple is evaluating two possible directions:
1. 
Smaller Dynamic Island
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Apple would keep the current “pill + punch-out” concept
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But shrink the visible area
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This would likely be achieved by:
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Moving some Face ID components further under the display
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Reducing sensor footprint at the top of the screen
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2. 
More aggressive under-display integration
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A larger portion of Face ID hardware would move under the screen
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The Dynamic Island could become:
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Much smaller, or
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Potentially change shape/function entirely
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This would push Apple closer to a near all-screen front design
Why Apple is still undecided
Even though Apple is deep into the development cycle, there are a few reasons this could still be open:
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Yield risk: under-display Face ID tech is still technically complex -
Reliability concerns: Apple prioritizes Face ID accuracy over minimal bezels -
Testing trade-offs: display quality vs. biometric performance -
Manufacturing readiness: suppliers may not be fully ramped yet
Bigger picture
This aligns with a gradual roadmap Apple has been following:
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Step 1: Notch (older iPhones)
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Step 2: Dynamic Island
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Step 3: Smaller Dynamic Island (next stage)
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Step 4: Fully under-display Face ID (long-term goal)
The iPhone 18 Pro appears to be positioned in the transition phase between stages 2 and 3.
Bottom line
Apple is reportedly choosing between:
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A refined, smaller Dynamic Island, or
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A more aggressive shift toward under-display Face ID
Either way, the direction points toward a continued reduction of visible front-facing sensors—but not yet a completely hole-free display.
The latest update from Digital Chat Station suggests Apple is still actively testing two different front-design directions for the iPhone 18 Pro, rather than having finalized the design.
The two “A/B” options Apple is reportedly weighing
Option A: No major change
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Reuses the same display cutout structure as the iPhone 17 Pro
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Keeps the current Dynamic Island size and layout
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Lowest manufacturing risk and fastest to scale
Option B: “Mini Dynamic Island”
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Introduces a significantly smaller Dynamic Island
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Achieved by moving Face ID receiver/transmitter (RX) components under the display
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Still retains a visible cutout, but reduced in size
This second option would represent a meaningful step toward a more all-screen iPhone.
Why this matters
The key tradeoff Apple is facing is:
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Engineering risk vs. design progress
- Under-display Face ID is still difficult to implement without impacting reliability
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Production stability
- The current design is already proven and scalable
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Market impact- The leaker suggests demand would remain strong either way (“sales figures will be a non-issue”)
How this fits into broader rumors
This update lines up with earlier reports:
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Some analysts (including Ross Young-type display supply chain reporting) expect a ~30–40% reduction in Dynamic Island size
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Other reports (including Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman) have suggested Apple is gradually transitioning Face ID under the display, not fully removing the island yet
So this appears to be a middle step rather than a full redesign.
Rear design update
The same leak also says:
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The rear camera plateau design introduced on the iPhone 17 Pro is staying
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Only minor refinements to materials and finish
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Likely improved alignment between:
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aluminum frame
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glass section for wireless charging
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Bottom line
Apple is reportedly choosing between:
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A safe, unchanged iPhone 17 Pro-style front design, or
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A new “Mini Dynamic Island” that shrinks the cutout via partial under-display Face ID
Either choice still points to incremental refinement rather than a full removal of the Dynamic Island in this generation.