Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Phones
  3. News

Apple could cherish this five-year-old Android trend with its iPhone 18

A full-screen iPhone might be just around the corner, and the selfie cam could finally hide beneath the glass.

By
Add as a preferred source on Google
Screen on the Apple iPhone 17 in lavender purple
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

What’s happened? A new leak suggests that Apple’s iPhone 18 series could feature an under-display camera.

  • The news comes from a Weibo account that claims the Cupertino giant is “testing under-display” camera technology for the iPhone 18 series.
  • If the tests are successful, the upcoming iPhones could feature a punch-hole display, similar to what we’ve seen on Android smartphones (not just flagships) for years.
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Why is this important? For years, iPhones have featured gigantic notches or pill-shaped cutouts on the screen to feature the Face ID setup and the front camera.

  • However, using an under-display camera could allow the company to provide a cleaner, more immersive, full-screen display experience.
  • A major change in the iPhone’s aesthetic, the removal of the pill-shaped cutout on the front, could attract more users to Apple’s ecosystem.
  • More often than not, when Apple adopts a specific technology, Android manufacturers follow suit, and the same could be true of under-display camera technology.
Recommended Videos

Why should I care? If you’re an iPhone user who doesn’t quite like the pill-shaped cutout at the front (or the notch), the iPhone 18 could possibly address the issue.

  • Removing the pill-shaped notch could provide more usable screen real estate for apps, video games, content, or text.
  • For those who value a sleek, seamless design and want an iPhone that looks modern, the iPhone 18 series might be it.
  • If you’re an Android user who hasn’t purchased an iPhone because of its notch, you might have one less reason to hold off next year.
Screen on the Apple iPhone 17 in lavender purple
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

OK, what’s next? While this isn’t the first time Apple has been rumored to use an under-display selfie camera on an iPhone, we’re still pretty early in Apple’s product cycle.

  • It hasn’t even been a quarter since the iPhone 17 came out, and hence, readers should take this information with a pinch of salt.
  • Anyway, the iPhone 18 series is said to be split between two launch events.
  • The one in September 2026 could unveil the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone, while the one in Spring 2027 could unveil the baseline iPhone 18 and the successor to the iPhone Air.
Shikhar Mehrotra
Shikhar Mehrotra
News Writer
For more than five years, Shikhar has consistently simplified developments in the field of consumer tech and presented them…
Topics
T-Mobile’s new financing plan sounds great until you realize what it’s preparing you for
T-Mobile's new financing plan smooths upfront costs while longer payments become the norm.
T-Mobile logo on iPhone

Every time a carrier says "no upfront cost," I brace myself for the asterisk buried in the fine print. T-Mobile's newest 36-month financing plan has one too, though it's dressed up quite nicely. 

T-Mobile, the second largest wireless carrier in the United States, just rolled out a financing option called EIP Flex 36. As the name suggests, it stretches device payments across three full years instead of the usual two. The real hook, however, is what it lets you skip at checkout. 

Read more
The OnePlus 16 could crank things up with a 200MP camera and a massive battery
The purported flagship could bring substantial upgrades across the board.
Person holding OnePlus 15.

Two fresh OnePlus 16 leaks just landed within days of each other. Together, they point to a flagship that could outlast its competition with its massive battery, and one that ships with genuinely better camera hardware than the OnePlus 15. 

So what's happening with the cameras?

Read more
RISION’s new pocket-sized cameras turns your phone into a nitfty thermal imaging tool
This tiny $119 camera gives your phone Predator vision
RISION Magic Pro in action

If you've ever had to look for any sort of heat leaks or hot wires, chances are that you've probably used a dedicated handheld camera. But RISION has just launched a tiny new camera tool to make the job easier (and more pocketable). It reminds me of the InfiRay we checked out a while back.

RISION has introduced the Magic and Magic Pro, two compact thermal cameras that plug directly into supported USB-C phones, tablets, and Windows computers. Each module weighs 24 grams, draws power from the connected device, and requires no separate battery. Support covers compatible iPhones, Android devices, and Windows PCs.

Read more