Apple is reportedly working on a new iPhone model that will offer a more seamless and immersive screen experience. According to display analyst Ross Young, the iPhone 17 Pro, expected to launch in 2025, will be the first iPhone to feature under-display Face ID technology. This means that the biometric authentication system will be hidden under the screen, eliminating the need for a notch or a hole-punch cutout.
What is under-display Face ID?
Face ID is Apple’s facial recognition system that allows users to unlock their iPhones, make payments, and access secure apps with a glance. It uses a TrueDepth camera system that projects and analyzes over 30,000 invisible dots to create a depth map of the user’s face. The system also uses an infrared camera to capture an infrared image of the face. These two images are then matched with the stored data to authenticate the user.
Currently, Face ID requires a notch at the top of the screen to house the TrueDepth camera system. This notch reduces the screen-to-body ratio and creates a visual distraction for some users. Apple has been trying to reduce the size of the notch over the years, but it has not been able to eliminate it completely.
Under-display Face ID is a technology that aims to integrate the TrueDepth camera system under the screen, making it invisible to the user. This would allow Apple to create a full-screen iPhone with no interruptions. Under-display Face ID would also offer the same level of security and convenience as the current Face ID system.
How will under-display Face ID work?
According to Young, under-display Face ID will still be accompanied by a circular cutout for the front-facing camera. This means that the selfie camera will still be visible on the screen, but the rest of the TrueDepth camera system will be hidden under the screen. Young claims that this implementation will persist until 2027’s iPhone 19 Pro models, which will also move the camera under the display for a true “all screen” appearance.
Young did not provide any details on how under-display Face ID will work, but some possible methods have been speculated by other sources. One method is to use a transparent OLED display that can switch between displaying pixels and allowing light to pass through. This would enable the TrueDepth camera system to project and capture the infrared dots and images through the screen.
Another method is to use a micro-LED display that can turn off individual pixels to create a small window for the TrueDepth camera system. This would also allow the infrared dots and images to pass through the screen, but with less impact on the display quality.
When will under-display Face ID debut?
Young’s timeline suggests that under-display Face ID will debut on the iPhone 17 Pro models in 2025. This is a one-year delay from his previous prediction, which expected the technology to arrive on the iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024. Young said that the delay was due to “sensor issues” that Apple needs to resolve.
Young also said that the standard iPhone 17 models will adopt ProMotion, a feature that is currently exclusive to Apple’s high-end devices. ProMotion is a technology that enables the display to adjust its refresh rate dynamically from 10Hz to 120Hz, depending on the content and usage. This results in smoother animations, faster response times, and lower power consumption.
Young’s predictions are based on his sources in the display industry, but they are not confirmed by Apple. Therefore, they should be taken with a grain of salt. Apple may change its plans or encounter technical difficulties that could affect the launch of under-display Face ID. However, Young’s timeline does indicate that Apple is working on improving its display technology and offering a more immersive screen experience for its future iPhone models.
