This is why the iPhone 16 Pro will have a new screen

In 2022, Apple finally removed the iPhone X notch on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models. Instead of positioning itself on this notch, the front photo sensor and FaceID module are located in the bubble and pill at the top of the screen. And since it’s not necessarily very aesthetically pleasing, Apple has found a way to hide this hole, using the area around it to offer Dynamic Island functionality.

As a result, thanks to software modifications, the company was able to improve the design of the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max (imagine what the screens would look like without this feature). However, the ideal is to have a smartphone screen without holes. And clearly, Apple is thinking about it. However, this is shown by a recent article from Korean site The Elec, reported by our colleagues from MacRumours.

Dynamic Island is just the beginning

This source corroborates previous rumors that on the iPhone 15 series, all models will have a screen without a notch, but with two holes for the front camera and FaceID (and a Dynamic Island to hide things). On the other hand, in 2024, Apple wants to offer something new. And for that, the company can make the FaceID module invisible. How ? By hiding the facial recognition system under the screen. So when FaceID is not in use, it will be hidden under a special area of ​​the screen.

Therefore, in 2024, it is likely that the iPhone 16 Pro screen will only have a hole for the front camera, while FaceID will be invisible, hidden by a part of the screen. But that’s not all. Indeed, according to The Elec, Apple could later hide the front camera under the screen. In this way, we will have an iPhone screen without notches or holes to distract the user.

As always, this information should be considered with caution. It should be noted, however, that the information from The Elec corroborates another source, analyst Ross Young. In 2022, this one correctly predicts that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will have a notch, while the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will have bubbles and pills (but he doesn’t anticipate Dynamic Island).

We’ve already talked about the 2026 iPhones

For future models, Young estimates that:

• iPhone 16 (2024) still has bubbles and pills, while iPhone 16 Pro will hide FaceID under the screen
• On the iPhone 17 (2025) series, all models will have FaceID hidden under the screen (while the camera is still visible
• The iPhone 18 (2026) will hide FaceID under the display and the visible front camera, but on the iPhone 18 Pro all sensors (including the camera) will be hidden under the screen

Ross Young says he made this prediction based “the remaining technical challenge for under-panel cameras is to meet the quality requirements of the most demanding brands as well as the cost requirements of panel manufacturers”

Based on the remaining technical challenges for under-panel cameras to meet savvy brand quality requirements as well as panel manufacturers’ cost requirements, I still believe this roadmap makes sense for iPhone. pic.twitter.com/3ck5X3sVcL

—Young Ross (@DSCCross) May 10, 2022

A technology to improve

Note that the technology for hiding sensors under OLED screens already exists. In essence, the idea is to position this sensor below an area of ​​the screen that becomes transparent when you want to take selfies or use facial recognition. ZTE and Samsung have marketed smartphones using this system. However, if the sensor hidden under the screen is still not democratized, it is due to a decrease in quality caused by the passage of light through the screen, before it reaches the sensor.

Eventually, this problem could be solved within a few years, allowing savvy brands like Apple to embrace the technology.