The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max aren’t due until September, but rumor traffic is already building around one big shift: Face ID moving under the screen and a smaller Dynamic Island. Alongside that, the lineup is also expected to bring Dark Cherry color
When the iPhone 18 Pro is finally expected to arrive in September, a lot of people will be looking past the usual spec-sheet promises and straight at one change they can feel every time they unlock the phone: how Face ID shows up on the front.
Rumors have been swirling about a smaller Dynamic Island. tied directly to how Apple might reposition Face ID under the display. Earlier reporting suggested full under-screen Face ID, with only a front camera visible in the top-left corner of the screen. The latest chatter. however. points to a more limited move: only one Face ID component would be placed under the screen. The result, if the rumors hold, would be a Dynamic Island that looks smaller—but not gone.
That front-of-device reshaping sits inside a wider set of 10 rumored updates for the iPhone 18 Pro models, as of May 2026.
A new color story is part of what’s expected. “Dark Cherry” is reportedly set to join the lineup for the iPhone 18 Pro models, along with Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver. The rumors also say the current Cosmic Orange and Deep Blue colors are expected to be discontinued.
On the hardware side, the devices are expected to keep much of the iPhone 17 Pro’s overall design approach. That means 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch display sizes and what’s described as a “plateau” housing three rear cameras. The display change—at least in rumor terms—is that the next Pro models would use LTPO+ display technology. The point of that shift would be longer battery life.
Camera updates are also on the list. Each iPhone 18 Pro model is rumored to include a main 48-megapixel Fusion camera with a variable aperture. The idea is that users could control how much light passes through the lens and reaches the sensor. offering more control over depth of field. At the same time. the rumors acknowledge a practical doubt: because iPhones rely on smaller image sensors due to smartphone size constraints. it remains unclear how meaningful the improvement would be in real-world photos.
Power and efficiency are tied to the next chip. The iPhone 18 Pro is expected to use Apple’s A20 Pro chip. rumored to be built on TSMC’s first-generation 2nm process. That contrasts with the A19 Pro chip, which is said to use a 3nm architecture. With a 2nm design and a new packaging approach. the A20 Pro is expected to deliver year-over-year performance gains and better power efficiency.
Cellular connectivity may be getting a major expansion too. Apple’s custom C1 cellular modem for 5G and LTE debuted in the iPhone 16e last year. It was followed by a C1X chip in the iPhone Air. Apple says the C1X modem is up to twice as fast as the C1 modem. and that it’s the most power-efficient modem in an iPhone ever. The rumor trail then points to a third-generation C2 modem in the iPhone 18 Pro models.
With that C2 modem, the iPhone 18 Pro models are reportedly expected to support 5G via satellite, specifically for web browsing when there’s no Wi‑Fi or cellular connectivity.
Wireless extras may also get an upgrade. Most iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air are equipped with an Apple-designed N1 chip that supports Wi‑Fi 7. Bluetooth 6. and Thread. Apple also says the N1 chip improves the performance and reliability of features like Personal Hotspot and AirDrop. The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to move to a next-generation N2 chip. though the rumored improvements aren’t yet specified.
Even small UI changes may matter to everyday use. Apple is expected to simplify the Camera Control button on the iPhone 18 Pro models by removing touch sensitivity and haptic feedback. The redesigned button would reportedly rely only on pressure sensitivity.
On the back, the MagSafe area may look different. The rear Ceramic Shield area for MagSafe is rumored to feature a more frosted and seamless appearance on the iPhone 18 Pro models, compared to the current two-tone design.
All of it is being positioned for a September release window. Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and a foldable iPhone in September. After that, a standard iPhone 18 model, a lower-end iPhone 18e, and a second-generation iPhone Air are expected early next year.
iPhone 18 Pro iPhone 18 Pro Max Dynamic Island Face ID LTPO+ displays variable aperture camera A20 Pro chip TSMC 2nm C2 modem 5G via satellite N2 chip Camera Control button