Apple is working on a new iPhone design that will completely eliminate visible notches or islands on the display. According to current reports, the process will take place in two stages. The first changes are expected as early as next year. A completely redesigned model could then be released in 2027 – just in time for the iPhone's 20th anniversary.
Since the iPhone X, Apple has been gradually transforming the design of its smartphones. The notch was the first attempt to concentrate sensors and cameras in the smallest possible area. The iPhone 14 Pro introduced the Dynamic Island. Now Apple wants to move toward a completely flat display with no visible interruptions. The implementation will take place in two phases.
Dynamic Island will be smaller in 2026
According to Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman, Apple will introduce a smaller version of the Dynamic Island in 2026. The Dynamic Island, currently used on the Pro models, replaced the classic notch with the iPhone 14 Pro. It displays information and system indicators, but still requires screen space. The smaller Dynamic Island would be an intermediate step. It would create more visible display area without sacrificing Face ID or the front-facing camera. Apple is apparently working on a gradual relocation of the technology below the display.
New anniversary model for the 20th iPhone anniversary
According to Gurman, Apple plans to release a completely redesigned iPhone one year later, in 2027. The new design is scheduled to be released to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the first iPhone. Plans include:
- a display that stretches from edge to edge
- extremely narrow edges
- rounded glass edges
- no visible notch or dynamic island
- Face ID under the display
- Front camera under the display
This model would be the first iPhone with a true full-screen design. There would be no visible notch. Everything needed for Face ID and selfies would be built under the display.
Different reports on 2026 models
While Gurman speaks of a smaller Dynamic Island for 2026, Wayne Ma of The Information reported recently Something else. According to the report, the iPhone 18 Pro models, also expected for 2026, will already feature Face ID under the display. According to Ma, only a small hole in the upper left corner will be visible – for the front camera. The pill-shaped notch as we currently see it would thus be eliminated.
- This leads to a contradiction: Either the almost invisible Face ID solution will arrive by 2026, or a slightly smaller Dynamic Island will remain. It's possible that Apple is working on multiple variants internally or is planning different solutions for standard and Pro models.
This is how the path to full screen went
The direction Apple is taking is nothing new. Face ID was first introduced with the iPhone X in 2017, and the Home button was eliminated. The notch was necessary to accommodate all the sensors. In 2022, with the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple switched to the Dynamic Island. This offered better integration into the system design, but was not yet technically revolutionary. Apple is now working on relocating these components directly beneath the display. This is made possible by advances in display technologies and sensors.
iPhone design of the future: How Apple wants to implement it
Apple plans to transition to the full-screen iPhone in two steps. A smaller Dynamic Island is expected to launch in 2026. A completely redesigned model could follow in 2027—with Face ID and an under-display camera, narrower bezels, and rounded edges. Until then, it remains to be seen which technology will reach market maturity first and whether Gurman and Ma's predictions are compatible. One thing is clear: Apple is continuing to develop the iPhone toward a pure display with no visible interruptions. (Image: Shutterstock / Yalcin Sonat)
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