iPhone 18 Pro Leaks Drama: The Dynamic Island Confusion Explained

The iPhone 18 Pro is already stirring up controversy, and it all started with a viral video from FPT. The renders showed off what looked like a major display redesign—one where the Dynamic Island had been shifted over to the left side of the screen. Unsurprisingly, the internet went into meltdown mode.

And yeah, those renders looked incredible at first glance. But before anyone gets carried away, it turns out this entire situation may have been built on a massive misunderstanding.

According to a Chinese source, the leak that sparked all of this was mistranslated. The result? A design rumor that snowballed way beyond what Apple is actually working on. The good news, though, is that Apple is still planning a display redesign—just not the one people think.

Instead of a left-side hole-punch camera, the iPhone 18 Pro is expected to feature a smaller, centered Dynamic Island, along with a substantial Face ID 2.0 upgrade. And honestly? That sounds way better.

Before getting into why Apple is shrinking the Dynamic Island, let’s break down the five biggest reasons why those left-side camera renders probably aren’t happening.

Why the Left-Side Hole Punch Renders Don’t Add Up

1. The Leak Was Misinterpreted

This clarification comes from Instant Digital, who stepped in after FPT’s video went viral. According to him, the original report was misunderstood by a U.S. publication.

The camera itself is not moving to the left.

What is moving is the infrared (IR) camera, and it’s going under the display. The selfie camera and dot projector are staying put, right next to each other. That alone explains why the Dynamic Island can shrink—it only needs to house those two components.

So yes, part of Face ID is going under the screen. But no, Apple isn’t tossing the entire camera system to the side.

2. Internal Hardware Conflicts Make It Impractical

If you look at the iPhone 17 Pro’s internal layout, the selfie camera already takes up the full thickness of the phone. Moving it to the left side would cause a major clash—specifically with the rear flash module.

To make that work, Apple would need to relocate the flash entirely. And considering Apple just redesigned this area, that scenario makes very little sense. If this was the plan all along, the 17 Pro wouldn’t look the way it does today.

3. Display Experts Don’t Buy It Either

Ross Young, a highly respected display analyst, has echoed the same thing Chinese sources are saying: only the IR camera is going under the display.

For the leaked renders to work, Apple would need all Face ID components under the panel so the selfie camera could move independently. And according to multiple industry insiders, Apple simply isn’t there yet.

4. A Side Camera Feels Very… Un-Apple

A left-side hole punch—even with a pill shape—would look oddly familiar. Too familiar.

It’s dangerously close to what Android phones were doing years ago, and Apple has clearly worked hard to avoid that. The Dynamic Island exists because it’s different. It’s centered, distinctive, and instantly recognizable.

Shrinking it makes sense. Moving it to the side doesn’t.

Plus, Apple has placed the selfie camera in the center for basically the entire history of the iPhone. Shifting it left would feel awkward, unnatural, and honestly kind of wrong.

5. Apple’s Bigger Ecosystem Plans Give It Away

There are also rumors that Apple’s upcoming M6 Pro and M6 Max MacBook Pros will finally ditch the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island.

And once again, that only works if the island is centered. A centered Dynamic Island allows information to expand left and right symmetrically, just like it does on the iPhone today. Visually, functionally, and aesthetically—it just makes more sense.

Why Apple Is Shrinking the Dynamic Island

So if the Dynamic Island isn’t moving, why is it getting smaller? There are three big reasons.

1. A Major Face ID Accuracy Upgrade

By moving the IR camera farther to the left—under the display—Apple creates more distance between it and the dot projector. Compared to the iPhone 17 Pro teardown, where these components are tightly packed, this new spacing is significant.

That gap allows for more accurate 3D depth mapping, which directly improves Face ID’s speed, reliability, and security. And that enhanced depth data could also improve things like:

• Memoji tracking
• Portrait mode edge detection
• Potential future AR features

This isn’t just cosmetic—it’s functional.

2. Apple’s Long-Term Goal: Everything Under the Display

Apple’s endgame has always been clear: a fully uninterrupted display.

But instead of jumping straight there, Apple is taking a measured approach. Putting the IR camera under the display first lets them treat the iPhone 18 Pro as a real-world beta test.

They’ve done this before. The LiDAR scanner debuted on the iPad Pro in 2020 before coming to the iPhone—and that data later fed directly into Vision Pro development.

This is Apple laying the groundwork, one component at a time.

3. Differentiation in an “S” Upgrade Year

The iPhone 18 Pro is shaping up to be an “S-style” upgrade—coming right after the major redesign of the 17 Pro. That means:

• Same camera layout
• Same display size
• Same bezels

So Apple needs something visually obvious to separate the two models. Enter the smaller Dynamic Island.

It becomes the easiest way to spot an iPhone 18 Pro at a glance, especially when paired with upgraded Face ID.

The Three Big Marketing Features of iPhone 18 Pro

Even if the hardware changes are subtle, Apple still has three massive selling points lined up:

1. A smaller Dynamic Island with Face ID 2.0
2. True satellite-based 5G, not just emergency texting—eliminating dead zones entirely
3. The A20 Pro chip, TSMC’s first 2nm processor, promising major gains in performance and efficiency—possibly even more CPU and GPU cores

All of that makes the iPhone 18 Pro one of the most significant “S” upgrades Apple has delivered in years.

Why Apple Might Be Holding Back

There’s one more thing to keep in mind: the iPhone 18 Ultra Foldable is also expected this year.

It would make perfect sense for Apple to intentionally keep the 18 Pro upgrades modest, nudging power users and early adopters toward the far more expensive—and far more exciting—foldable model.

That’s why the 18 Pro may end up being one of the smallest year-over-year upgrades we’ve seen in a while.

If you’re not planning on buying a foldable iPhone, the redesigned 17 Pro might honestly be the better upgrade.

Final Thoughts

The iPhone 18 Pro Dynamic Island drama is a perfect example of how one mistranslation can spiral into full-blown chaos. But when you step back and look at Apple’s history, supply chain leaks, and long-term goals, the real story becomes much clearer.

A smaller, centered Dynamic Island.

Better Face ID.

Smarter long-term planning.