Apple may introduce its next big display change in stages. A new leak claims the company will incorporate an under-screen selfie camera in its first foldable iPhone, and then apply the same concept to a redesigned 2027 iPhone, featuring a cleaner, more “all-screen” design.
Digital Chat Station says Apple plans to use the foldable iPhone as the first test bed for under-screen camera tech. The goal is simple: let you look at a full display without a visible cutout for the front camera.
Under-screen camera
An under-screen camera is positioned behind the display, rather than being housed within a notch or pill. On paper, you get a more immersive screen for reading, watching, and gaming. In practice, the hard part is image quality, because the display layers block some light and can soften details.
Apple’s approach, based on this report, looks like a gradual rollout. You see the company prove one part first, then bring it all together later.
The rumored rollout: Face ID first, then the selfie camera
Digital Chat Station frames this as a two-step plan.
First, Apple reportedly works on an under-screen version of its Face ID system. That shift could shrink the Dynamic Island on future Pro models.
Second, Apple reportedly moves the selfie camera under the screen in the foldable iPhone. If that works well, Apple will combine both ideas in a 2027 anniversary iPhone that looks fully uninterrupted from the front.
Apple might start with Face ID
A leak referenced in the report claims Apple uses a “spliced micro-transparent glass” area inside the display. It would allow Face ID’s infrared parts to work through the screen.
That matters because Face ID sensors can handle some interference better than a selfie camera can. If your front camera loses sharpness or struggles in low light, you notice it right away. If Face ID stays fast and reliable, you accept small compromises more easily.
The big claim: a 24-megapixel under-screen camera
Apple reportedly built a 24-megapixel under-screen camera for the foldable’s inner display. The report adds that the camera uses a six-element plastic lens.
That would stand out because many existing under-display cameras on Android phones have used lower-resolution sensors. Makers often choose that route since shooting through a display hurts image quality.
If Apple actually reaches higher resolution without making photos look hazy, you get clearer video calls and better selfies, even with the camera hidden.
What the foldable iPhone might do differently for security
Apple plans to use Touch ID in the side button on the foldable, instead of Face ID. The reason is space. Foldable phones pack hinges, multiple display layers, and other parts into tight areas.
If true, you would unlock the foldable with your fingerprint and use the under-screen camera mainly for photos and calls, not for Face ID.
The 2027 iPhone aims for a completely bezel-less look. It also suggests the glass could curve around all four edges, pushing the “single slab of glass” idea even further.
That design depends on hiding the camera and sensor hardware. So the foldable becomes the proving ground, and the 2027 model becomes the final statement.
What to watch next
If this leak holds up, you will see clues in three places:
- Smaller cutouts on Pro iPhones if Face ID hardware moves under the display
- A foldable iPhone with a hidden inner selfie camera is Apple’s first visible test
- A 2027 iPhone with no front cutout if both technologies mature fast enough
Apple has chased an all-screen iPhone for years. This rumor says you will see the company get there by taking the long route, not by betting everything on one launch.
