Release date

In April 2023, display industry analyst Ross Young shared a roadmap showing that the iPhone 17 Pro will feature under-display Face ID .

However, in May 2024, Mr. Young said that this feature has been delayed until 2026. If true, Face ID under the screen will likely debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max next year.

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Under-screen Face ID could debut on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max next year. Photo: 9to5mac

Bloomberg ’s Mark Gurman also offered a similar timeframe in his latest Power On report, saying that by 2026 or 2027, the iPhone Pro models will feature a smaller Dynamic Island, thanks to Apple moving more components inside the display.

Several recent reports, including a post on X from @mxphone on March 11, have suggested that Apple is developing metalens technology – an ultra-thin lens – to integrate Face ID under the screen.

This technology could reduce the size of the TrueDepth sensors, allowing them to be placed under the display layer without compromising the quality of facial recognition.

This leak is linked to an 18.8-inch foldable iPad Pro model, but many speculate that it will also apply to future iPhones.

The current Dynamic Island design is still an “on-screen” solution, not an “under-screen” one. A March 10 X post from @appletechnikbl also noted that Face ID combined with Dynamic Island is a big step forward, but Apple has medium-term plans to move the technology under the screen.

Technological challenges

Putting Face ID under the display requires Apple to address issues like the accuracy of the infrared (IR) sensor and TrueDepth camera when operating through the OLED display layer.

Apple's current technology is considered more complex than the under-screen fingerprint sensors of Android companies, because Face ID uses a 3D scanning system with more than 30,000 infrared points.

Based on recent reports, the iPhone 17 is likely to retain the Dynamic Island design, but may be improved to reduce the size or increase the features. Under-screen Face ID is unlikely to appear this year.

iPhone 18 Pro has new screen design?

The iPhone 18 Pro models with under-display Face ID could still have a small hole at the top of the screen to house the front-facing camera — similar to many new Android phones today, such as the Google Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25.

Ross Young previously said he expected Apple to integrate both Face ID and the front-facing camera under the screen. If this comes to fruition, the iPhone will have a truly all-screen design, making the dream of former Apple design chief Jony Ive come true.

Currently, there is no official information from Apple confirming when the company will bring the Face ID feature under the screen to the product. However, with advances in research and pressure from the market, this is an almost certain step in the next few years, possibly starting from 2026 as predicted by experts.

iPhone 17 models appear again, confirming 2 important features on the 17 Air . Model photos of all 4 upcoming iPhone 17 models continue to appear, in which the most notable confirmation is 2 important features on the iPhone 17 Air that have not been mentioned before.