Apple’s 2027 iPhone to Feature Under-Display Face ID and Camera — A True All-Screen Design at Last

Apple is reportedly preparing a major leap forward in iPhone design for 2027 — one that could finally eliminate the notch and even the Dynamic Island. According to a new post from the reliable leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo, Apple plans to move both the Face ID sensors and front-facing camera underneath the display, delivering the first true all-screen iPhone.

Face ID and Selfie Camera Hidden Beneath the Display

The leak describes a “slab-style” iPhone, meaning a traditional, non-foldable model — not the foldable device expected in 2026. Both the 3D facial recognition hardware and front-facing camera would sit invisibly beneath the OLED panel, allowing Apple to present a perfectly seamless display for the first time.

If accurate, this would represent a massive step in iPhone design evolution, removing the last visible interruptions from the screen after years of notches and Dynamic Islands.

Targeting 2027 — The iPhone’s 20th Anniversary

The 2027 timeline lines up with multiple previous reports suggesting Apple has been saving major design and branding changes for the iPhone’s 20th anniversary.

That’s also the year when several analysts — including Omdia’s Heo Moo-yeol — expect Apple to skip the “iPhone 19” name entirely and jump straight to “iPhone 20.” The move would mirror 2017’s iPhone X, which used Roman numerals to mark the tenth anniversary of the original iPhone.

Together, the naming shift and under-display technology could make the 2027 iPhone a once-in-a-decade milestone release.

Part of Apple’s Multi-Year iPhone Overhaul

The rumored under-display sensors are part of a larger multi-year redesign effort that begins next year.

Apple is expected to launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, followed by the fully bezel-less iPhone 20 in 2027. Other changes rumored for that anniversary model include:

• Completely edge-to-edge display with no bezels

• Solid-state side buttons with advanced haptic feedback

• A slimmer titanium frame

• Next-gen A20 or A21 chip built on TSMC’s 2nm process

These innovations would mark the most radical redesign of the iPhone since the iPhone X — and potentially set the stage for the next decade of Apple’s smartphone evolution.

A Longtime Dream for Apple Designers

An iPhone without any visible sensors or cutouts has been a longstanding design goal inside Apple’s industrial design team. Chief Design Officer Evans Hankey and her successors have reportedly pushed for an “unbroken pane of glass” concept for years — something that under-display Face ID and camera systems could finally make possible.

Competing Android makers like Samsung and ZTE have experimented with under-display cameras before, but Apple is said to be waiting until image quality and sensor reliability meet its strict standards — especially for critical features like Face ID authentication.

Still Early — But the Vision Is Clear

While 2027 is still a ways off, the increasing number of reports pointing toward this design shift suggests Apple is deep in development and testing of under-display sensor technology.

If successful, the 2027 iPhone could be Apple’s most futuristic device yet — a perfect, uninterrupted display celebrating two decades of iPhone innovation.