Spy shot offers first look at the iPhone 18 Pro’s smaller Dynamic Island

It’s no secret that 2026 is a big year for the iPhone. The new Siri that was promised in 2024 is almost certain to arrive, we’re likely getting our first look at the first folding iPhone, and Apple will reportedly shift the iPhone 18 release to next spring to put more attention on the iPhone 18 Pro.

According to rumors, the biggest change coming to the Pro phones will be a smaller Dynamic Island. For the first time since the camera cutout was introduced with the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple is reportedly going to shrink the size when it’s not in use, so it takes up less of your screen when watching videos.

Thanks to a spy shot published by noted leaker IceUniverse on X (above), we have our first look at how much smaller the Dynamic Island could be. According to the pic, the pill portion of the Dynamic Island appears to be about half the size of the current cutout, so it should be noticeably smaller once Apple digitally stitches it together with the hole-punch camera.

If you hold your iPhone at an angle, you’ll be able to see the two cutouts to get an idea of how much space you’ll be getting back. It probably won’t be all that noticeable—think of it more like an inlet than an island—but it’s one step closer to Apple’s ultimate goal of putting all Face ID components and the front camera under the display. 

Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro in September.