The iPhone 18 Pro Max is already shaping up as a turning point for Apple’s flagship line, with early leaks pointing to a front design that looks radically cleaner than today’s models. The most dramatic change could be the disappearance of the Dynamic Island cutout on the Pro phones, replaced by under-display Face ID hardware that hides almost everything behind the glass. If those reports hold, the iPhone 18 Pro Max would not just refine the current design, it would reset what an iPhone screen looks like.
That potential shift sits alongside a broader set of rumors about the 2026 lineup, from a split launch strategy to a first foldable iPhone and a new 2 nm A-series chip. Together, they suggest Apple is preparing a major hardware and software rethink around how the front camera, Face ID sensors, and Live Activities UI work on high-end models. I will walk through what the reporting actually says, where the leaks agree or conflict, and what it all might mean for anyone eyeing the iPhone 18 Pro Max as their next upgrade.
Why the Dynamic Island’s days on Pro models may be numbered
The strongest throughline in the current leaks is that Apple is actively working to move Face ID components under the display on its highest-end phones, which would allow the Dynamic Island to shrink or even vanish on the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Multiple reports describe under-display Face ID as a core part of the iPhone 18 Pro story, with one detailed rundown of Dec Pro Under Face ID features explicitly tying the technology to the Pro tier. That same reporting points to an A20 Pro chip built on a 2 nm process, which would give Apple the performance and efficiency headroom it needs to drive more complex sensor processing behind the glass.
Earlier coverage of the broader lineup backs up the idea that only the premium phones will get this treatment at first, listing under-display Face ID as a Dec Rumored Features Split Possible Face ID for Pro capability rather than something coming to every iPhone 18. That split would mirror how Apple has historically rolled out new display tech, from OLED to ProMotion, starting at the top and then filtering down. If the sensors can be hidden, the Dynamic Island’s current role as a hardware mask becomes less necessary, which is why so many watchers now see the iPhone 18 Pro Max as the first realistic candidate for a nearly uninterrupted front panel.
What leaks say specifically about the iPhone 18 Pro Max front design
Zooming in on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, several leaks focus on the front of the phone as the place where the design will feel most different compared with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the models expected in 2024 and 2025. One detailed rundown of Dec Several Apple leaks says the front of the phone is where things may start to feel different, with Apple reportedly testing a new display approach that reduces or eliminates the visible cutout. That same reporting also mentions fresh color options, including a rich burgundy tone, but the real headline is the suggestion that the Pro Max will be the showcase for Apple’s most aggressive screen redesign in years.
Other rumor roundups reinforce that the Pro Max will stick with a large display size while still chasing slimmer bezels and a more unified look, which fits with the idea of hiding sensors under the panel. A summary of Dec Latest On Apple Pro Pro Max Production Launch Timeline notes that the Pro Max display is expected to stay around 6.9 inches, with under-display Face ID on the Pro models and a design that keeps the same overall footprint while accommodating a larger battery. If Apple can maintain that screen size and battery growth while also cleaning up the front cutout, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could feel both familiar in hand and dramatically different to look at.
Under-display Face ID: from long-running rumor to active testing
Under-display Face ID has been a recurring rumor for several generations, but the iPhone 18 Pro Max leaks suggest the technology is finally moving from concept to concrete testing. Earlier coverage of the iPhone 18 family framed Sep Under Face ID Pro as something that had been rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro as well, which underscores how technically challenging it is to hide infrared sensors and dot projectors beneath an OLED panel. The latest round of leaks, however, describes Apple suppliers actively working on the necessary components and Apple accelerating preparations for production.
One report focused on the supply chain says Dec The Dynamic Island Live Activities Apple is already testing under-display Face ID tech for the iPhone 18 Pro models, with the long-term goal of eventually moving the selfie camera under the screen as well. That same reporting notes that the Dynamic Island is tied to Live Activities software, which uses the display area around the cameras to show real-time information. If the hardware cutout shrinks or disappears, Apple will need to decide whether to keep that Live Activities behavior in a virtual “island” or rethink the entire status area at the top of the screen.
Conflicting chatter: smaller Dynamic Island or no cutout at all?
Not every leak agrees that the Dynamic Island will fully disappear on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and that tension is worth watching. Some sources describe a transitional step where the cutout simply gets smaller as more sensors move under the display, with one analysis of Dec Weibo Smart Pikachu App leaks citing the Weibo account “Smart Pikachu” as saying the iPhone 18 Dynamic Island could get smaller, if it arrives at all. That phrasing captures the uncertainty: Apple may be testing multiple hardware configurations, some with a reduced cutout and others with almost everything hidden.
Another roundup of Dec Other Dynamic Island Mark Gurman Bloomberg and Weibo rumors notes that Mark Gurman from Bloomberg and Weibo users have both pointed to changes coming to that aforementioned Dynamic Island cutout, but they stop short of guaranteeing a completely clean panel. Taken together, the reporting suggests a spectrum of possibilities, from a modestly smaller island on some models to a nearly invisible setup on the most expensive iPhone 18 Pro Max configuration. Until Apple locks in its final design, it is reasonable to treat “no cutout” as a strong but not fully settled scenario.
Why some analysts think under-display Face ID may still slip
Even as testing ramps up, there is still skepticism that under-display Face ID will be ready for every iPhone 18 Pro Max unit that ships in 2026. One overview of the iPhone 18’s biggest rumors cautions that Sep Under Face ID While may have to wait, pointing out that while there has been a lot of chatter about Face ID finally going under the display, there is still no guarantee that Apple will be satisfied with the image quality or reliability in time. That same analysis notes that Apple could decide to prioritize a smaller cutout or a hybrid approach if the fully hidden sensors do not meet its standards.
From a technical standpoint, Apple has to balance several factors: infrared transmission through the OLED stack, long-term durability, and how well the system works in bright sunlight or at extreme angles. If any of those variables fall short, the company could keep a visible Dynamic Island on at least some iPhone 18 Pro Max variants while continuing to refine the under-display hardware for a later generation. The fact that under-display Face ID has been rumored since the iPhone 16 Pro era without shipping yet is a reminder that even for Apple, some display innovations take longer than early leaks suggest.
How a disappearing cutout would change the iPhone’s software personality
The Dynamic Island is not just a hardware shape, it is a software idea that has become part of the iPhone’s personality, especially on the Pro models. Today, the system uses the area around the cameras to show Live Activities like timers, music playback, and ride-share status, with animations that make the cutout feel intentional rather than like a compromise. If the iPhone 18 Pro Max moves most of its Face ID hardware under the display, Apple will have to decide whether to keep that behavior as a virtual island or redistribute those interactions across the status bar and lock screen.
One report on under-display testing explicitly notes that Dec The Dynamic Island Live Activities Apple ties the current Dynamic Island to Live Activities software, which means any hardware change will ripple through the UI. If Apple keeps a small visible camera hole on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, it could still anchor those animations there, just with a tighter footprint. If the cutout disappears entirely, the company might instead lean more heavily on the lock screen widgets it introduced in iOS 16, or even create a new top-of-screen interaction zone that is no longer constrained by physical camera placement.
Beyond the front: other major upgrades rumored for iPhone 18 Pro Max
While the potential loss of a visible Dynamic Island is grabbing headlines, the iPhone 18 Pro Max rumors point to a broader spec sheet upgrade that would make the device feel like a substantial step up even without a new front design. A detailed list of Dec Below Pro features says the same overall design is expected, with changes to accommodate a larger battery, variable aperture cameras, and that 2 nm A20 Pro chip. For the Pro Max specifically, that likely means longer battery life, more flexible low-light photography, and performance gains that help power computational imaging and on-device AI tasks.
Broader coverage of the iPhone 18 lineup also mentions a split launch strategy and a first foldable iPhone as part of the Dec Rumored Features Split Possible Face ID for Pro picture, which would make 2026 one of Apple’s busiest iPhone years in recent memory. In that context, the iPhone 18 Pro Max looks like the traditional slab flagship that anchors the line, while a foldable model experiments at the edges. The Pro Max’s role would be to deliver the most refined version of Apple’s classic design, with under-display Face ID and a cleaner front panel serving as the most visible sign of that refinement.
How the community is reacting to a future without a visible island
Among enthusiasts, the idea of the Dynamic Island shrinking or disappearing has sparked a mix of excitement and skepticism. In one widely shared discussion of Dec Them Dynamic Island leaks, a commenter using the handle PikaV2002 argued that Apple turning the Dynamic Island into “literally every android phone” cutout would be an odd move, suggesting that the current design helps distract from the massive cutout. That perspective highlights a real trade-off: the Dynamic Island has become a recognizable visual signature, and removing it could make the iPhone 18 Pro Max look more like its Android rivals at first glance.
On the other hand, many users have long asked for a truly edge-to-edge display, and the same discussion threads are full of people saying they would gladly trade the island’s personality for more usable pixels. The fact that some leaks, such as the By HT TECH report that the iPhone 18 Pro is likely to ditch the Dynamic Island for under-display Face ID, frame the change as a straightforward upgrade suggests that Apple believes the benefits will outweigh any loss of branding. If the software team can reimagine Live Activities in a way that feels just as distinctive, the iPhone 18 Pro Max might still stand out even without a visible island.
What it all means for buyers planning their next upgrade
For anyone trying to decide whether to hold out for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the current state of the rumors points to a device that could deliver the cleanest iPhone screen yet, along with meaningful gains in performance, battery life, and camera flexibility. The combination of a 6.9 inch display, under-display Face ID on the Pro models, and a larger battery described in Dec Latest On Apple Pro Pro Max Production Launch Timeline would make the Pro Max a clear step up from the iPhone 15 Pro Max and even the unannounced iPhone 16 and 17 generations. If Apple does manage to hide most or all of the Face ID hardware, the visual impact when you first wake the screen could be significant.
At the same time, the caution that Sep Under Face ID While may have to wait is a reminder that none of this is guaranteed until Apple takes the stage. If under-display Face ID slips again or only appears on a limited configuration, the Dynamic Island could stick around in some form for at least one more generation. For now, the safest expectation is that the iPhone 18 Pro Max will push the front design further toward an uninterrupted sheet of glass, even if the exact shape of whatever remains at the top of the screen is still being decided inside Apple’s labs.
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