iPhone 18 may be the last Apple phone where you can see the selfie camera

iPhone 18 may be the last model where you can actually see the selfie camera on the screen.

iPhone 18 could mark the end of an era for Apple’s signature display design. A new report suggests that while the iPhone 18 Pro in 2026 is expected to debut in-display Face ID, the front-facing selfie camera itself will disappear one year later, paving the way for Apple’s first truly all-screen iPhone in 2027.

For an iPhone, where camera performance is a core selling point, the technology simply hasn’t met Apple’s standards. (AP)

By Ayushmann Chawla

Ayushmann Chawla is the Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. A seasoned tech journalist with years of experience working for some of the industry’s leading media organizations, his articles can also be read on Live Mint. His passion extends beyond journalism—he’s a dedicated automobile enthusiast, always ready to explore the latest in car technology and design. A self-confessed gadget lover, Ayushmann finds joy in testing new devices and sharing his findings with his audience. Instagram: ayushmannchawla

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If accurate, the iPhone 18 could be the final Apple smartphone where the selfie camera remains visible on the display.

A step closer to the “single slab of glass”

Apple’s long-term design ambition has been clear for years: a seamless, uninterrupted display with no bezels, no notch, and no punch-hole. Former design chief Jony Ive famously described the ideal iPhone as “a single slab of glass.”

That vision now appears to be nearing reality. Multiple reports say Apple will embed Face ID sensors beneath the display next year. This would remove the Dynamic Island and replace it with only a small punch-hole cutout for the selfie camera.

But according to the well-known leaker Digital Chat Station, even that punch-hole won’t last long. Apple is reportedly preparing to move the front-facing camera under the display starting with the 2027 iPhone, which would coincide with the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.

Why Apple didn’t do it earlier

Android manufacturers have experimented with under-display selfie cameras for years, but the results have been underwhelming. Light passing through display layers reduces contrast, sharpness, and overall image quality, something Apple has not been willing to compromise.

For an iPhone, where camera performance is a core selling point, the technology simply hasn’t met Apple’s standards.

But by 2027, Apple is said to have a solution ready: improved display transparency, new sensor algorithms, and advanced computational photography to compensate for image loss.

A truly all-screen iPhone coming in 2027

If everything goes to plan, the 20th-anniversary iPhone could be the first model without any visible camera or sensor cutouts, a completely clean, uninterrupted display.

The upgrade path looks like this:

iPhone 18 Pro (2026): In-display Face ID, punch-hole selfie camera

For users, it means the iPhone 18 may be the last model where you can actually see the selfie camera on the screen.

Apple has been inching toward this future for years. Soon, the iPhone’s front may finally become exactly what the company always wanted: pure display, and nothing else.