Recent leaks point to a clear design change on the iPhone 18 Pro, with images of a screen protector suggesting Apple plans to shrink the Dynamic Island while keeping the overall front design familiar, which aligns with earlier reports about gradual hardware refinement instead of a full redesign.
The leaked screen protector shows a narrower pill-shaped cutout that houses the TrueDepth camera and Face ID system, and the reported measurement drops to 13.49mm compared to the iPhone 17 Proâs wider 20.76mm cutout, which indicates Apple is tightening internal components without changing how the feature works for users.
A slimmer cutout suggests Apple has found ways to reduce the space needed for Face ID hardware, and reports indicate the company is moving some components like the flood illuminator under the display, which helps shrink the visible area without removing the feature entirely.
Outside of this change, the bezels appear unchanged, which means the visual difference will come mainly from the reduced island size rather than a broader display redesign.
Leak details and expectations
A post on Weibo shared the details behind the leak:
“[Suspected iPhone 18 Pro Series Screen Cover Leaked] It’s confirmed! This year’s Pro series will feature a smaller “island” on the front of the screen, not the previously rumored single punch-hole display. However, the standard iPhone 18 remains unchanged, retaining its current design. This is consistent with Apple’s usual approach; they wouldn’t be so radical. Honestly, do you like this smaller “island”?”
The same claim reinforces Appleâs usual approach, where the Pro models introduce visible changes first, while the standard iPhone 18 keeps the current design, and that steady shift explains why a âsmaller islandâ now looks more likely than a full move to a punch-hole display.
