The Dynamic Island may reduce in size on the iPhone 18 series, and this change might apply to all models, not exclusively the Pro versions.
One leaker, one assertion, and a significant question: is Apple truly prepared to offer every iPhone buyer the same design treatment as Pro users this cycle?
Apple’s Dynamic Island has been present long enough that most individuals have either accepted it or forgotten its presence. In fact, I’ve noticed people linking the pill-shaped notch to newer iPhone models released in the past three years. Now, a new leak implies that the notch replacement is set to shrink, not just on the premium versions.
Ice Universe / Weibo
What did the leaker actually say?
The information originates from Ice Universe’s Weibo account (via 9To5Mac). The informant believes that the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 series is going to be slimmer. The focus is on the thickness of the Dynamic Island — from one side to the other.
While the thickness of the bezels might stay the same, the pill-shaped cutout at the top of the display could become smaller across all models. “The iPhone 18 series keeps the same bezel design, except for a smaller central island,” states the Google-translated version of the informant’s Weibo post.
This marks a significant deviation from how the narrative has been unfolding. Previous credible reports concerning a reduced or eliminated Dynamic Island have only focused on the Pro versions.
The launch timeline adds some complexity
If the iPhone 18 receives the same design enhancement as the iPhone 18 Pro models, it could represent a true shift in Apple’s typical Pro-first stance concerning upgrades. In a subsequent post on X, the informant notes that “all three iPhone 18” models will feature the smaller Dynamic Island.
While Ice Universe generally has a solid track record, I hold some skepticism regarding this information. The Dynamic Island first appeared on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, while the standard models continued to use the large notch at the top. It wasn’t until the following year that the updated notch was introduced in the regular iPhone 15.
Thus, I’m somewhat inclined to think that the smaller Dynamic Island may be exclusive to the iPhone 18 Pro. However, there’s the ongoing consensus about the delayed iPhone 18 launch, suggesting that Apple may release the standard iPhone 18 in the first quarter of 2027, probably in March.
This would create a gap of about six months between the releases. If that occurs, it would make sense to launch the iPhone 18 with a smaller Dynamic Island.
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The Dynamic Island may reduce in size on the iPhone 18 series, and this change might apply to all models, not exclusively the Pro versions.
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