**Apple** has been reported to apply three design changes to the iPhone 18 Pro it will unveil next month. The key is the Dynamic Island, which will be narrowed by roughly 35% compared with the current model.
Key points
It is expected that the iPhone 17 Pro will give up its two-tone rear and instead adopt an integrated finish that matches the glass and aluminum frame colors as closely as possible.
Leak information says the new Dynamic Island width will be reduced from the current approximate 20.7mm to around 13.5mm.
The flagship color is Dark Cherry, which replaces Cosmic Orange, and is being discussed as the color to lead the marketing push.
Dynamic Island, about 35% slimmer
Ahead of Apple’s September event, according to various leaked information gathered, both the iPhone 18 Pro and the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to feature a slimmer Dynamic Island cutout at the top of the front. Noted tipster Ice Universe said the new Dynamic Island width could be around 13.5mm—down by nearly a third from the current Pro lineup’s roughly 20.7mm.
To do this, some Face ID modules are moved under the display, but everything isn’t fully hidden. The pill-shaped cutout itself is said to remain, so it won’t go all the way to a complete “hole punch” approach. However, not all information lines up. Another leaker, Digital Chat Station, claimed that this width reduction is being pushed to the next-generation model, and that there will be no change in this year’s models—showing a discrepancy in views.
On the supply chain side, it’s widely believed that the full under-display Face ID hardware still isn’t fully ready for mass production. As a result, the explanation is that physical openings in the display will be needed for the sensor array for now. Apple has not confirmed anything regarding the related reports.
Related article: iPhone 18 Pro Max May Get Variable Aperture, the smaller Pro misses out
A color overhaul led by Dark Cherry
The second change is the two-tone back design, which was met with mixed reactions even among iPhone 17 Pro users. In the previous model, the back glass panel color looked one shade lighter than the surrounding anodized aluminum frame with opposite polarity. A leaker active on Weibo, Instant Digital, reportedly first said that Apple redesigned the back glass to address this, adjusting it so that the entire back appears to be one single color. However, despite the ongoing scratch controversy, it’s known that the anodized treatment of the frame itself is being retained.
The third change is the color. A new shade called “Dark Cherry,” which is a deep wine color with a hint of purple, is set to take center stage, and is expected to replace Cosmic Orange—the representative color of the previous model. In addition, Light Blue, Dark Gray, and Silver will make up the lineup, leading to expectations that the Pro model could expand from three options on the iPhone 17 Pro to four colors.
With the design change comes a price increase
The design overhaul runs in step with rising component unit costs across the industry. In outlook reports, analysts say the iPhone 18 Pro price could rise by as much as $300 compared to the previous model. Along with higher memory prices, the introduction of a new 2nm process processor is cited as a key factor.
Various reports place weight on the possibility of a keynote on September 9. It’s said that the more affordable iPhone 18 base model will be pushed back to spring 2027 as the launch strategy is separated, which could mean longer waiting periods for demand segments that are highly price-sensitive.
Apple introduced the Dynamic Island in the 2022 iPhone 14 Pro for the first time, replacing the notch. This was the first attempt to remove the notch, which had defined the front design since the iPhone X. Since then, rumors about an even slimmer Dynamic Island have been repeatedly raised for nearly four years.
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