iPhone 18 Pro might not feature a punch-hole display after all

Over the past month, reports of iPhone 18 Pro models featuring a punch-hole camera cutout (towards the top left of the screen) have emerged across multiple industry sources. Recently, Front Page Tech’s YouTube video shared renders of alleged iPhones with a punch-hole cutout on the front.

However, Chinese company Instant Digital (via @LeakerApple) appears to have refuted the presence of a punch-hole camera on the iPhone 18 Pro models. According to the tipster, the claim “is complete misinformation (translated from Chinese).”

A translation error sparked the story of the punched iPhone

The misconception apparently originated from an “English-language media outlet on Twitter,” which mistranslated Chinese and Korean reports about the Face ID component (infrared flood light) being moved to the upper left corner of the screen, as a punch-hole camera.

The hint reiterates that the iPhone 18 Pro models could have an infrared flood light under the display at the top left. The other components of the Face ID module, including the dot-matrix display and the front camera, are located in the center.

So, instead of featuring a punch-hole front display, the iPhone 18 Pro could retain the dynamic island, but it will be smaller than those found on recent models. This reminds me of the initial rumors about the Pro models that claimed a thinner, smaller dynamic island could be on the cards.

Ross Young, who served as Vice president of Counterpoint Research, confirms Instant Digital’s claim that the alleged iPhone Pro devices will feature a smaller but visible dynamic island instead of a punch-hole display. This certainly adds some weight to a leak that seems to disagree with other reports and renders.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max at a launch event in September 2026. Aside from the smaller Dynamic Island, they could also feature 5G satellite, a variable cutout for the rear cameras, and larger batteries. Along with the iPhone 18 Pro, the company could also unveil its first foldable iPhone.