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Apple is apparently working on a true full-screen iPhone. New information from the leak community indicates that this goal will not be achieved suddenly, but rather over several device generations. The pivotal moment is said to be 2027, the 20th anniversary of the iPhone. Until then, Apple plans several intermediate technological steps to introduce new display and camera technologies in a controlled manner.
Since the iPhone X, Apple has pursued the goal of having the entire front of the iPhone covered by the display. Notches, and later the Dynamic Island, were always considered interim solutions. Internal patents have shown devices without visible sensors or cameras for years. This vision is often associated with former Apple design chief Jony Ive, who envisioned an iPhone made from a single piece of glass as the ideal. Now, there are strong indications that Apple intends to actually implement this approach in the coming years.
Apple's testing strategy with the iPhone Fold
According to the well-known Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station, Apple plans to first use the next generation of its under-display camera technology in a foldable iPhone. This device is expected next year.
The underlying principle is clear. Apple wants to test user reaction to an under-display camera before implementing this technology in a standard iPhone. With an under-display camera, the lens is located directly behind the screen. There are no visible cutouts or openings in the display.
The foldable iPhone is particularly well suited for this test, as the inner screen is used more for content than for frequent selfies.
Touch ID instead of Face ID in the iPhone Fold
According to reports, the foldable iPhone will forgo Face ID due to space constraints. Instead, Apple is planning a Touch ID integrated into the side button. This solution is already familiar from some iPad models.
This makes the so-called iPhone Fold the first Apple device with a completely uninterrupted, full-screen display. No camera hole, no Dynamic Island, no sensor area on the front. Apple has thus finally achieved a design that has been in development for years.
Face ID under the display as an intermediate step
Alongside the foldable iPhone, Apple is working on another important technology: Face ID under the display. According to several rumors, this technology will be introduced in the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Apple uses a special spliced, microtransparent glass that is integrated directly into the display. This glass allows infrared light to pass through almost unimpeded, enabling the sensors of the TrueDepth system to function reliably. The TrueDepth system is the technical basis of Face ID and is currently visibly located in the Dynamic Island.
This solution could make the Dynamic Island significantly smaller or at least less conspicuous.
Apple considers Face ID under the display to be relatively low-risk. Biometric sensors are less sensitive to minor interference from display layers than traditional cameras. Small losses in quality would be barely noticeable to users.
Breakthrough in under-display selfie cameras
The most technically demanding part concerns the front camera. Apple is said to have developed a 24-megapixel camera under the display for the foldable iPhone. That would be a first in the industry.
Until now, Android manufacturers have mostly used 4 or 8 megapixel sensors for under-display cameras. The reason for this is the limited light transmission through the display layers, which significantly impairs image quality.
Apple is said to have made a significant breakthrough here. According to the report, a camera with six plastic lens elements is being used. At the same time, Apple is said to have significantly improved the display's light transmission. The result should be clearer, sharper images with more detail than previous solutions.
If this information is correct, Apple would have a significant technological advantage over the competition.
Apple's roadmap to the anniversary iPhone in 2027
The current information reveals a clear chronological sequence:
- Face ID will first arrive under the display with the iPhone 18 Pro.
- Additionally, the selfie camera is located under the display in the iPhone Fold.
- In 2027, both technologies will be combined in one device.
The anniversary iPhone is expected to be a completely redesigned model. Plans call for a bezel-less display that curves around all four edges of the device. No visible camera, no sensors, no interruptions.
The design is strongly reminiscent of Jony Ive's earlier vision: a smartphone that looks like a single piece of glass.
Apple's cautious path to a true full-screen iPhone
Apple isn't taking a fast or experimental approach to the full-screen iPhone. Instead, each new technology is being introduced and tested gradually. The foldable iPhone serves as a technical testing ground, while Face ID under the display is initially being tested in the Pro models.
If everything goes according to plan, Apple could unveil the first iPhone in 2027 that dedicates the entire front to the display. It would be the biggest design leap since the iPhone X and a symbolic reboot for the iPhone's 20th anniversary. (Image: sdecoret / DepositPhotos.com)
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