Apple hides Face ID sensors under iPhone 18 Pro display via new pixel layout
Apple has embedded the Face ID TrueDepth module beneath the iPhone 18 Pro's screen by redesigning the pixel layout in that area to allow infrared light through. iFixit's microscope analysis found pixel density there is halved, with Apple confirming the brightness is boosted to compensate and an IR pass filter reportedly used to keep the components hidden from view.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
This marks a concrete step toward Apple's long-stated goal, originally championed by Jony Ive, of an iPhone that looks like an uninterrupted slab of glass. The engineering solution—altering pixel geometry rather than simply hiding a cutout—suggests Apple could eventually apply similar tricks to hide the front camera as well, though that remains unconfirmed.
- iPhone 18 Pro hides Face ID's TrueDepth module beneath the display for the first time.
- Apple redesigned pixel layout in that screen area, halving pixel density to let infrared light pass.
- Brightness compensation and an IR filter reportedly make the hidden sensors nearly undetectable to the eye.
Apple iPhone 18 Pro — This is the very device the article is about, showcasing Apple's breakthrough under-display Face ID engineering. If you're intrigued by that clever slab-of-glass design, getting your hands on the iPhone 18 Pro lets you experience it firsthand.
See Apple iPhone 18 Pro on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: 9to5mac.com — Ben Lovejoy, 2026-09-30
Published there as: “The clever way Apple embedded Face ID beneath the iPhone 18 Pro screen”
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