Fresh evidence has emerged suggesting Apple plans to shrink the Dynamic Island on next year's flagship phones. Newly leaked photos of an alleged screen protector for the upcoming Pro model show a noticeably slimmer pill-shaped cutout than what we see on current devices.
Narrower Cutout Dimensions
The images surfaced on Weibo and show a side-by-side comparison with existing screen protectors. According to the leak, the iPhone 18 Pro's Dynamic Island measures just 13.49mm across. That is a significant reduction from the iPhone 17 Pro's 20.76mm width.
iPhone 17 Pro screen protector (top) vs iPhone 18 Pro (bottom)
The leak indicates Apple will maintain identical display bezels on the Pro model. This detail aligns with a report from Ice Universe last week. That same source claims the smaller Dynamic Island will appear across the entire iPhone 18 series, including the standard model and the anticipated Air 2 variant.
Technical Changes Behind the Shrinking Cutout
Industry speculation points to under-display integration as the key to this design shift. Apple reportedly plans to move some Face ID components, specifically the flood illuminator, beneath the display panel. This change would free up surface area and allow for the reduced footprint without sacrificing biometric functionality.
The screen protector images add visual confirmation to earlier rumors about Dynamic Island modifications. While previous reports have presented conflicting details about Apple's plans for the 2026 lineup, these physical accessories suggest the narrower design is indeed in development.
iPhone 18 Pro screen protectors
Apple introduced the Dynamic Island with the iPhone 14 Pro series as a replacement for the traditional notch. The feature houses the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID sensors while doubling as an interactive interface element for notifications and live activities. A smaller version would mark the first major physical revision to this design element since its debut.
Source (in Chinese)
