Apple has given the iPhone two major display redesigns so far. The first arrived in 2017 with the release of the iPhone X. That phone introduced a notch at the top to house the selfie camera and Face ID components. Other than that cutout, the display stretched from edge to edge and corner to corner. No one else had such thin, symmetrical bezels at the time.
In the years that followed, the notch got smaller and the bezels kept shrinking. The iPhone 14 Pro debuted the current iPhone design in 2022, replacing the notch with two cutouts at the top of the screen. That change gave Apple the chance to introduce the Dynamic Island feature, which shows live activities.
By 2022, most iPhone rivals had hole-punch displays with slim, symmetrical bezels. Only a handful of Android vendors have tried to replicate Apple’s advanced 3D face recognition system since then.
Still, iPhone users have been waiting for Apple to either match Android makers by adopting a hole-punch display or remove cutouts altogether. After all, some companies have already placed the front-facing camera under the display.
Those upgrades are on the way. We’ve seen plenty of reports suggesting the iPhone 18 and iPhone 20 will bring fresh screen designs. The latest comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who says Apple plans to shrink the iPhone 18’s Dynamic Island next year.
In 2027, Apple is expected to launch the 20th anniversary iPhone (iPhone 20), which should feature a display with no cutouts at all.
iPhone 18: Face ID under the screen
This roadmap isn’t new. Trusted display industry insider Ross Young predicted years ago that Apple would first move Face ID sensors under the display, followed by the selfie camera. Young may have revised his estimates, and Apple may have adjusted its schedule, but the direction has been clear.
Gurman’s note about a smaller Dynamic Island next year lines up with those earlier reports. A smaller Dynamic Island suggests the Face ID components are going to move under the display.
Earlier this year, reports suggested Apple plans move the selfie camera to the top left corner instead of the center. I explained at the time that this change will help the iPhone 18 models stand out among Android phones with centrally placed hole-punch cameras.
A few days ago, an insider also said that the iPhone 18 Pro models will feature under-display Face ID sensors.
As for physically shrinking the Dynamic Island, that seems plausible. But keep in mind, the Dynamic Island is a software feature. It’s flexible and adapts to the number and type of Live Activities shown on screen.
For reference, Apple just brought Live Activities to the Mac and iPad with macOS 26 and iPadOS 26. These devices don’t have screen cutouts. Instead, Live Activities appear at the top of the display.
iPhone 20: The first true all-screen iPhone?
Every iPhone since the iPhone X has been marketed as an all-screen device, even with notches or cutouts. The 2027 iPhone might finally change that. Gurman previously said that the redesigned iPhone 20 will have curved edges, ultra-thin bezels, and no top cutouts. He’s repeating that prediction now.
Other reports have backed this up. Multiple leakers shared similar iPhone 20 design forecasts just last week.
Apple has hinted at such a design in previous patents. A seamless slab of glass would be a dream for many buyers.
Even then, I don’t think the Dynamic Island will vanish. As long as Live Activities remain part of the experience, the feature will likely stay, with or without a physical cutout.
One last note: the name iPhone 20 is still speculation, based on Apple’s tenth anniversary iPhone. Back then, the company skipped the iPhone 9. The iPhone 19 might be skipped as well in 2027.
Nothing is certain
Young challenged Gurman’s report on X, proposing a three-stage plan for reaching the perfect all-screen iPhone design, as follows:
- 2026 – smaller notch as some under panel Face ID elements remain in the notch rather than transparent under the panel.
- 2028 – all under panel Face ID elements except the selfie camera are hidden under the panel without a notch. Selfie camera remains separate
- 2030 – selfie camera under the panel. No punch hole or notch.
If this roadmap is accurate, the 20th anniversary iPhone will not deliver the massive design update that’s currently rumored.
