Apple plans to include an under-display Face ID system starting with its 2023 iPhones, removing the need to house the facial recognition system in a notch, according to well-respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Since its debut with the iPhone X, the notch has served primarily to house the TrueDepth camera system which enables Face ID. While Apple is rumored to be planning a smaller notch for the 2021 iPhones, presumably, if the tech giant is able to house the facial recognition system under the display, it would remove the need for a notch entirely.
Kuo had also previously stated that at least one high-end iPhone model in 2023 will feature an under-display fingerprint scanner with no notch and a real full-screen display. Kuo provides no specifics with today's note on whether Apple would offer both an under-display Touch ID and Face ID system, or whether under-display Face ID will remain exclusive to the higher-end iPhones.
Apple has widely been rumored to adopt an under-display fingerprint scanner, even possibly for the iPhone 13. However, this is the first time we've heard of a possible under-display Face ID system. From a technological standpoint, achieving an under-display facial recognition system requires more advanced tooling, given that the TrueDepth camera system must be able to read and recognize faces through the pixels of the display without distorting or interfering with the content.
Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28.
The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
Monday December 15, 2025 2:05 pm PST by Juli Clover
Last week, details about unreleased Apple devices and future iOS features were shared by Macworld. This week, we learned where the information came from, plus we have more findings from the leak.
As it turns out, an Apple prototype device running an early build of iOS 26 was sold, and the person who bought it shared the software. The OS has a version number of 23A5234w, and the first...
Monday December 15, 2025 3:05 pm PST by Juli Clover
Software from an iPhone prototype running an early build of iOS 26 leaked last week, giving us a glimpse at future Apple devices and iOS features. We recapped device codenames in our prior article, and now we have a list of some of the most notable feature flags that were found in the software code.
In some cases, it's obvious what the feature flags are referring to, while some are more...
The first foldable iPhone will feature a series of design and hardware firsts for Apple, according to details shared by the Weibo leaker known as Digital Chat Station.
According to a new post, via machine translation, Apple is developing what the leaker describes as a "wide foldable" device, a term used to refer to a horizontally oriented, book-style foldable with a large internal display....
Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. iOS 26.2 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation iPhone SE.
The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon.
Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week.
iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1.
Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings.
macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
Monday December 15, 2025 7:41 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple released the AirPods Max on December 15, 2020, meaning the over-ear headphones launched five years ago today. While the AirPods Max were updated with a USB-C port and new color options last year, followed by support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio this year, the headphones lack some of the features that have been introduced for newer generations of the regular AirPods and the ...
We've been waiting for "Under Display Touch ID" for four years. I guess we can wait a few more years for this. I've upgraded from a 7 to a 12 last year, and after six months, I wouldn't say Face ID is better or worse than Touch ID. Let's not pretend Touch ID was perfect, but I'd love to have a device that has both, which presumably increases the success of unlocking. My phone is in my jeans pocket most of the time, so with the iPhone 7, I got used to placing my thumb on the home button while grabbing it. It would be cool if Face ID would kick in when Touch ID fails.
Let's hope they do better than previous attempts by other manufacturers:
There will still be holes through the display for the cameras and sensors since it's impossible to shoot through solid surfaces. So they just cover the holes with a looser set of pixels to disguise it. But the holes are still there.
I'm interested to see what Apple can do with this... though I'm not bothered by current solutions.
I'd actually prefer matching bezels on the top and bottom of the phone and put good front-facing speakers there!
But that's just me... :p
That's why Apple does not play the "me first" game. They wait for the tech to mature.
Tomorrow: Kuo: Apple to use way better batteries in 2024 The next day: Kuo: Apple to implement 3D photography in 2025 The next day: Kuo: Apple to add physical, haptic feedback in 2026 The next day: Kuo: Apple to reduce body thickness of some devices to half in 2027 The next day: Kuo: Apple to build one-piece-of-glass-only see-though iPhones in 2028
It's a bit ridiculous. Of course Apple has a road map. Of course, this may change and some features will slip in the next year or even later.
seems like I won’t be upgrading my Xs Max for another few years.
I’m sick and tired of Face ID. I want under display touch ID,much more zoom and Macro camera ,not just casual,selfie camera with more megapixels and refinements.
