In the iPhone 18 Pro, Apple has embedded the Face ID module beneath the display, moving toward the vision of a single slab of glass. Achieving this without visible degradation required clever engineering: IR light cannot pass through display pixels, so Apple created larger gaps between pixels. The pixel density over the module is reduced by half, but Apple compensates by increasing brightness. An IR pass filter blocks visible light through the gaps.

For all practical purposes, the True Depth array is invisible even under close inspection. iFixit used a microscope to show the pixel pattern, but the components are undetectable in everyday use. This reduces the Dynamic Island size, enabling support for three live activities instead of two.

Future iPhone models may hide the front-facing camera beneath the display, but image quality compromises remain. Apple considers that a matter of when, not if.