Before the iPhone 16 series came out, it was rumored that Apple was looking at ditching the screen notch in favor of an under display camera (UDC). As we now know, that never came to be.
Those rumors are popping back up thanks to regular leaker Digital Chat Station who posted on Weibo that is Apple is testing UDC tech on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.
DCS specified that Apple is testing the tech for "3D faces," basically Face ID, rather than the current selfie camera.
They added that it will feature a single "HIAA hole," while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Air will feature the standard "2 + 1 hole." Meaning that the Pro models would feature a single camera cutout while the ultra-thin Air and base model would have a 2+1 display cutout.
Currently, the only major phone manufacturer to hide the front-facing camera under the display is Samsung. Even then, the tech is only available under the Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold foldable display. The feature debuted with the Galaxy Z Fold 3 but has been largely lackluster since then.
The problem with UDC as it currently exists is that the camera needs a lower resolution and that the camera shoots through tiny holes in the display, meaning your photos aren't good.
That said, utilizing UDC just for Face ID is sensible, assuming Apple can make the scans quick and accurate, the quality of the image won't really matter.
Reportedly, both Apple and Samsung want to hide the hole-punch camera. Samsung is also rumored to be pursuing UDC with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which will release next January.
Recently, it was rumored that Apple is planning to split the release schedule of the iPhone 18 lineup into two windows. The higher-end Pro models and a new foldable iPhone are supposed to launch in the fall as usual. Meanwhile, the less expensive iPhone 18, iPhone 18 Air, and the iPhone 18e are supposedly going to release in the spring.
So, while we might get an early look at the iPhone 18 series next spring, we won't know about the Pro models until the usual September window.
