Thursday, January 22, 2026
Technology
8 min read

iPhone 18: Leak Reveals Striking Display Design Changes for Select Models

Forbes
January 18, 20264 days ago
Apple iPhone 18: Display Leak Suggests Dramatic New Look For Some Models

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New leaks suggest the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max may feature a "new under-display area" instead of the current Dynamic Island. This could result in a significantly different display design for these models compared to the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air, which are expected to retain similar display specifications to their predecessors.

The next iPhones, after this spring’s expected iPhone 17e, are due to start arriving in September. A new leak claims to know what the displays —·you know, the bit you interact with the most — will have strikingly different looks depending on the model. The new report, from frequent leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, lists size and other details for four phones: iPhone 18, iPhone Air second generation, iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. ForbesApple Makes A Crucial iPhone Update Call — Hundreds Of Millions Must Act Now iPhone 18 Series Release Timeline: What Arrives When As a reminder, the latest thinking is that the iPhone 18 won’t be released in 2026 but will be held until spring 2027, to be released alongside the iPhone 18e (about which there are no display details yet). It’s thought that could be when the second-generation iPhone Air arrives.. As such those furthest-off phones show the fewest changes. The report says the iPhone 18 will have a 6.27-inch display, with 120Hz refresh rate and Dynamic Island. These details are the same as the iPhone 17. MORE FOR YOU Similarly, the iPhone Air 2, if it’s called that, will have a 6.55-inch 120Hz screen, again matching the iPhone Air. So far, so ordinary. Though I’d throw into the mix that if those phones really aren’t arriving until spring 2027, Apple has plenty of time to change the specs if it fancies. iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max Display Leaks: What’s Changing Before then, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected. The screen sizes are the same as now, as is the refresh rate. That’s 6.27-inch 120Hz and 6.86-inch 120Hz for the Pro and Pro Max respectively, just like the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max offer. But what’s different in this report is that instead of mentioning Dynamic Island, it talks about a “new under-display area”. There have already been hints that the Dynamic Island could shrink soon. “Rumors have conflicted on what this will look like. Some reporting says the new Dynamic Island will simply be reduced in size, but look similar to the current pill shape. Others have said we’ll get a simple hole-punch that’s offset to the top-left corner of the display,” 9to5Mac reported. If correct, it would mean that the Pro and Air models would have different-looking displays for the first time. And the new Dynamic Island could lead to the much-rumored under-display camera coming to the iPhone in the future. Personally, I suspect the iPhone Air, as a premium device, could opt for whatever the Pro models have. There’s plenty of time for more details to leak, so please check back.

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    iPhone 18 Display Leak: Dramatic New Look for Some Models