Apple’s Dynamic Island has been around for so long that most people have gotten used to it or forgotten it’s there. In fact, I’ve seen people associate the pill-shaped notch with newer iPhone models (released in the last 3 years). Now a new leak suggests that the notch replacement will soon shrink, and not just on the expensive models.
What did the leaker actually say?
The tip comes from Ice Universe’s Weibo account (via 9To5Mac). The tipster believes that Dynamic Island will be slimmer in the iPhone 18 series. It is the thickness of the dynamic island – from left to right – that is being discussed.
While the thickness of the bezels could remain the same, the pill-shaped cutout at the top of the screen could become smaller overall. “The iPhone 18 series retains the same frame design, except for a smaller center island,” reads the Google-translated version of the tipster’s Weibo post.
This is a notable departure from how this story has developed so far. Any credible whispers about a reduced or removed Dynamic Island have referred exclusively to the Pro variants.
The launch schedule makes things a little more complicated
That the iPhone 18 gets the same design upgrade as the iPhone 18 Pro models could mark a real shift in Apple’s usual Pro-first approach to improvements. In a follow-up post to X, the tipster mentions that “all three iPhone 18” models will get the smaller Dynamic Island.
Although Ice Universe has a good track record, I am a bit skeptical about this development. The Dynamic Island first debuted on the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, while regular models in the lineup stuck with the gigantic notch at the top. It wasn’t until next year that the redesigned notch came to the regular iPhone 15.
So I’m a little inclined to believe that the smaller Dynamic Island could be an iPhone 18 Pro exclusive. But then there’s the iPhone 18 delayed launch consensus, which says Apple will likely launch the regular iPhone 18 in the first quarter of 2027, likely in March.
This would leave a gap of around six months between the smartphones. And if that happens, it makes sense to launch the iPhone 18 with a smaller Dynamic Island.
