Next Year's iPhone 16 Pro Still on Track to Feature Under-Display Face ID, Followed By Under-Display Selfie Camera in 2026

Apple is still on track to switch to under-display Face ID technology next year that will provide more usable display area on iPhone 16 Pro models, claims a new report out of Korea.

Beyond iPhone 13 notch less
Apple is set to transition to under-screen ‌Face ID‌ on ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ models in 2024, followed by under-screen ‌Face ID‌ and an under-screen front camera on iPhone 18 Pro models in 2026, according to respected display industry consultant Ross Young.

In line with this roadmap, according to a new report from The Elec, Apple should not have any major difficulties securing the technology necessary for external light to be able to penetrate the display and enter the TrueDepth camera system that makes ‌Face ID‌ possible, given the current state of smartphone production processes.

From the display point of view, Underpanel Face ID has the same principle as the underpanel camera (UPC) that Samsung Display is applying to Samsung Electronics' foldable phone Galaxy Z Fold series. UPC also mounts a front camera module under the display, so the camera lens hole is not visible when the camera function is not in use. Currently, camera module specifications have been compromised at the level of 4 million pixels to implement UPC. This is because the UPC space must be divided so that some support the display screen function, and the other supports the camera function by accepting external light. Recently, the front camera specifications of premium smartphones far exceed 10 million pixels.

"If the current trend continues," the report adds, "Apple can apply Underpanel ‌Face ID‌ to the [non-Pro] ‌iPhone‌ series lineup in 2025, and apply UPC to the [Pro] ‌iPhone‌ series lineup in 2026."

This isn't the first time Korean-language website's predictions have lined up with a roadmap set out by Young in May 2022. Young outlined a cycle where Apple will alternate between the Pro and the non-Pro models each year when introducing revised display cutouts or new under-display technology.


The Pro models will be first to feature new display innovations, as first seen last year with the Dynamic Island exclusive to the ‌‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro‌ and ‌‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro‌ Max, while the ‌iPhone‌ 14 and ‌‌iPhone‌ 14‌ Plus were left with the same "notch" as the ‌iPhone‌ 13. This year, the ‌Dynamic Island‌ is expected to come to all iPhone 15 models.

Based on this cycle, each configuration of display cutouts and under-screen technology will persist for a maximum of two generations on each ‌‌iPhone‌,‌ before all models in Apple's future ‌iPhone‌ lineups have a true unconstrained fullscreen display, which is expected to happen in 2027.

Popular Stories

Apple iPhone 16e Feature

Apple Announces iPhone 16e With A18 Chip and Apple Intelligence, Pricing Starts at $599

Wednesday February 19, 2025 8:02 am PST by
Apple today introduced the iPhone 16e, its newest entry-level smartphone. The device succeeds the third-generation iPhone SE, which has now been discontinued. The iPhone 16e features a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, up from a 4.7-inch LCD on the iPhone SE. The display has a notch for Face ID, and this means that Apple no longer sells any iPhones with a Touch ID fingerprint button, marking the ...
iphone 17 pro asherdipps

iPhone 17 Pro Models Rumored to Feature Aluminum Frame Instead of Titanium Frame

Tuesday February 18, 2025 12:02 pm PST by
Over the years, Apple has switched from an aluminum frame to a stainless steel frame to a titanium frame for its highest-end iPhones. And now, it has been rumored that Apple will go back to using aluminum for three out of four iPhone 17 models. In an investor note with research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors this week, Apple supply chain analyst Jeff Pu said the iPhone 17, iPhone...
apple launch feb 2025 alt

Here Are the New Apple Products We're Still Expecting This Spring

Thursday February 20, 2025 5:06 am PST by
Now that Apple has announced its new more affordable iPhone 16e, our thoughts turn to what else we are expecting from the company this spring. There are three product categories that we are definitely expecting to get upgraded before spring has ended. Keep reading to learn what they are. If we're lucky, Apple might make a surprise announcement about a completely new product category. M4...
iPhone 17 Roundup Feature 2

iPhone Design to Change 'Significantly' This Year

Monday February 17, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple is set to "significantly change" the iPhone's design language later this year, according to a Weibo leaker. In a new post, the user known "Digital Chat Station" said that the iPhone's design is "starting to change significantly" this year. The "iPhone 17 Air" reportedly features a "horizontal, bar-shaped" design on the rear, likely referring to an elongated camera bump. On the other...
apple launch feb 2025

Tim Cook Teases an 'Apple Launch' Next Wednesday

Thursday February 13, 2025 8:07 am PST by
In a social media post today, Apple CEO Tim Cook teased an upcoming "launch" of some kind scheduled for Wednesday, February 19. "Get ready to meet the newest member of the family," he said, with an #AppleLaunch hashtag. The post includes a short video with an animated Apple logo inside a circle. Cook did not provide an exact time for the launch, or share any other specific details, so...
Generic iOS 18

Here's When Apple Will Release iOS 18.4

Wednesday February 19, 2025 11:38 am PST by
Following the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple updated its iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia pages to give a narrower timeline on when the next updates are set to launch. All three pages now state that new Apple Intelligence features and languages will launch in early April, an update from the more broader April timeframe that Apple provided before. The next major point updates will be iOS ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Coming Next Week With These New Features for Your iPhone

Friday February 14, 2025 6:18 am PST by
The first iOS 18.4 beta for iPhones should be just around the corner, and the update is expected to include many new features and changes. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman expects the iOS 18.4 beta to be released by next week. Below, we outline what to expect from iOS 18.4 so far. Apple Intelligence for Siri Siri is expected to get several enhancements powered by Apple Intelligence on iOS...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

Two of Apple's Oldest Products Are Finally Getting Updated This Year

Friday February 14, 2025 6:03 am PST by
Apple released the HomePod mini in November 2020, followed by the AirTag in May 2021, and both still remain first-generation products. Fortunately, rumors suggest that both the HomePod mini and the AirTag will finally be updated at some point this year. Below, we recap rumors about the HomePod mini 2 and AirTag 2. HomePod mini 2 In January 2025, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple is ...

Top Rated Comments

Kissmo1980 Avatar
26 months ago
Wow - these rumours :)

I barely purchased my 14 Pro Max and starting to regret not waiting 10 more years for the latest feature. ?
Score: 39 Votes (Like | Disagree)
xxray Avatar
26 months ago

So in future every display might have a hidden camera that could spy on us? An ATM for example?
The current visible front camera can already spy on us… we’re completely reliant on trusting the software to indicate that the camera is being used now.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aleh Avatar
26 months ago
Completely hiding screen obstructions (front cameras) is the last “major” noticeable change smartphones might ever have. Excluding folding that is. It’s gonna be interesting to finally reach that point and see how things go from there
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macvicta Avatar
26 months ago

Completely hiding screen obstructions (front cameras) is the last “major” noticeable change smartphones might ever have. Excluding folding that is. It’s gonna be interesting to finally reach that point and see how things go from there
Hopefully they go back to making them lighter and thinner. What happened to that? These things are massive bricks year after year now.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Jimmy_Banks Avatar
26 months ago
This has been the rumour that keeps on giving since the 2017 iPhone X

"Just one more year"
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
26 months ago
I don’t care what anyone says. Apple as a company and their iPhones will always be interesting to me.

I love articles like these. excited for what’s to come.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)