Apple is testing new miniature camera technology to reduce the size of the front camera in next year’s iPhone 18 Pro models, according to a Chinese leaker. According to Digital Chat Station, a Weibo with more than three million followers, Apple is testing a single HIIA (hole-in-active-area) hole for the front camera, which is currently located on Dynamic Island.
See also: Rumors of a variable aperture camera on the iPhone 18 Pro
The HIAA technique is a screen manufacturing method developed by Samsung and other screen manufacturers, which integrates front-facing cameras into OLED panels without taking up much of the active display. The technique involves precisely drilling a small hole in the active area of the pixels using laser micro-drilling, resulting in a unique ultra-compact opening.
This is not the first time that Digital Chat Station claims that Apple is testing HIAA technology for iPhone 18 Pro models. In May, they reported that Apple was using it in combination with Face ID technology under the display. These comments came after a report from The Information which also mentioned that under‑display Face ID was planned and that Apple intends to place the front‑camera hole in the upper left corner of the screen.
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However, today's report is more vague. The leaker says that as a result of using HIAA technology, the “screen shape will change” due to the smaller design of the camera hole, but it is not entirely clear whether this means the front camera will change position, or if it will remain part of a smaller Dynamic Island. There is also no reference to Face ID under the screen.
More recent reports seem to confirm claims that the iPhone 18 Pro models will have a smaller Dynamic Island, so this could be a better interpretation of Digital Chat Station's latest information. In addition to Apple's use of HIAA, the leaker reiterated other previously shared details, including Apple's use of a variable aperture rear lens, the same camera bump design as the iPhone 17 Pro, and a "transparent design" for the Ceramic Shield area for MagSafe charging .
See also: The iPhone 18 Pro's big camera upgrade
Finally, the iPhone 18 Pro Max is said to have “battery with a steel case” – likely a reference to a cooling system with an evaporative chamber made of stainless steel that has previously been rumored. The iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, the next iPhone Air and a foldable iPhone are expected to be released in September 2026, while the iPhone 18 and iPhone 18e could follow in spring 2027, as part of a new two‑phase rollout strategy for Apple.
