iPhone 17 Pro Has Smaller Dynamic Island, Claims Last-Minute Rumor

[MacRumors]

Apple has redesigned the hardware underpinning the Dynamic Island on the upcoming iPhone 17 Pro models, shrinking the pill-shaped cutout with a more compact front-facing camera and sensor system, if a last-minute rumor is anything to go by.

The leak comes from a previously unknown source who claims to work for a company that makes iPhone screen protectors. According to their information, the width of the Dynamic Island has shrunk to approximately 1.5cm, down from 2cm on the iPhone 16.

Given the source's lack of track record, we are taking this rumor with a large chunk of salt. Having said that, we wanted to cover it because there have been persistent – albeit conflicting – rumors that Apple planned to reduce the size of the Dynamic Island starting with the iPhone 17 lineup.

Early on in the year, analyst Jeff Pu suggested the iPhone 17 Pro Max could feature a smaller Dynamic Island than the iPhone 17 Pro and previous models. Another leaker agreed, claiming Apple would adopt a "metalens" for Face ID that integrates the transmitter and receiver components, reducing the size and thickness of structural elements and resulting in a smaller Dynamic Island on the device.

Yet another source claimed the smaller Dynamic cutout would be applied across the entire iPhone 17 lineup. Later reports, however, indicated that this change might not arrive until the iPhone 18 Pro.

On the software side, one leaker claimed that iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, but they did not share any specific details about the changes that are allegedly planned.

There's still an outside a chance that the Dynamic Island will change in some way on iPhone 17 models. If so, it would be the first time since the feature was introduced on the iPhone 14 Pro models in 2022. We'll know either way next week. Apple's "Awe dropping" event takes place on Tuesday, September 9.

Article Link: iPhone 17 Pro Has Smaller Dynamic Island, Claims Last-Minute Rumor

 

[BelgianChoklit]

would be nice for it to become thinner too.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Even the iPhone isn't immune to shrinkflation!

/See also the iPhone Air where you get less phone.

 

[klasma]

would be nice for it to become thinner too.

Yeah, just reducing the width brings little benefit. Would only have been useful to make an iPhone mini model.

 

[wood1208]

Smaller, thinner Island ? Nice. But, I like to see someday under screen, invisible, or no Island at all.

 

[jdavid_rp]

Im curious about the new UI for the Dynamic Island. I suppose it would be more Liquid Glass like with transparency or some mix of camera use and accelerator to make its gravity more realistic, only available in the new Pro because of its new very efficient low power cores

 

[Kylo83]

Not gonna happen all the main leakers would have said this

 

[Stiille]

Im curious about the new UI for the Dynamic Island. I suppose it would be more Liquid Glass like with transparency or some mix of camera use and accelerator to make its gravity more realistic, only available in the new Pro because of its new very efficient low power cores

Dynamic Island has no change to its looking right now in the beta of iOS 26

 

[Agent007]

But it's a feature, right? Why would they make such a useful feature smaller? How will we see it? Are they going to remove this feature altogether at some point?

I can't wait for the defenders when next years novel folding iPhone uses TouchID because they couldn't scale down FaceID over 10 years from X to Fold (but hey, we got bespoke emojis out of it, woo hoo).
They'll be compelled to give a BS reason why FaceID is suddenly inferior so they went back to TouchID on the Fold. They'll cut expensive FaceID components from all future phones then claim the Dynamic Island is underutilized by developers and phase it out. People will still buy iPhones as perceived "status symbols" despite billions sold and their shareholders will sing their praises. That won't last forever, though.

 

[Hammerd]

To summarize, we’ll have a better zoom, orange color and a smaller island.
Shut up and take my money! My 16P is now obsolete

 

[Devyn89]

But it's a feature, right? Why would they make such a useful feature smaller? How will we see it? Are they going to remove this feature altogether at some point?

I can't wait for the defenders when next years novel folding iPhone uses TouchID because they couldn't scale down FaceID over 10 years from X to Fold (but hey, we got bespoke emojis out of it, woo hoo).
They'll be compelled to give a BS reason why FaceID is suddenly inferior so they went back to TouchID on the Fold. They'll cut expensive FaceID components from all future phones then claim the Dynamic Island is underutilized by developers and phase it out. People will still buy iPhones as perceived "status symbols" despite billions sold and their shareholders will sing their praises. That won't last forever, though.

Are you ok? People are allowed to change their opinion about things. In my opinion Dynamic Island was always a stop gap feature until technology allowed it go under display - much like the home button was until the iPhone went (almost) full screen. They made a feature out of a hardware limitation as companies have for years.

 

[Danilamak]

How they may technically implement screen over 3 cut outs?

 

[cdsapplefan]

“Large chunk of salt.” 🧂 😂

 

[Edsel]

New Feature? I often wish my iPhone were invisible....

 

[bLackjackj]

We already know the notch is getting a reduction. Remember 2 years ago, when Macrumors displayed the post of future iPhones.

Smaller, then circle, then gone…this is literally old news.

 

[cigz]

wait.. that "new" microphone indicator that used to be inside the Dynamic Island and now it's outside of it makes sense.
If the Dynamic Island is smaller, it could mean there's probably no pixels inside of it?

The new indicator design:

and the old one:

Maybe they made that change to have it ready for smaller Dynamic Island on the new iPhone 17 Pro and to get people used to it.

 

[jdavid_rp]

Dynamic Island has no change to its looking right now in the beta of iOS 26

That doesn’t mean it can’t change in the new series. If it’s a new exclusive feature it obviously won’t show up in the beta.

 

[Populus]

This will happen, either this year for the 17 Pro, or, most likely, next year with the 18 Pro. With all the changes coming this year (much better cameras, a lighter aluminum design, better heat management, 12GB of RAM…) added to the great improvement of next year’s 2nm SoC, I think it’s wise to say that the iPhone 18 Pro is going to be a beast. I would definitely hold one more year, for sure.

By the way, fingers crossed to see a thermal camera for the first time ever on an iPhone.

 

[Stiille]

That doesn’t mean it can’t change in the new series. If it’s a new exclusive feature it obviously won’t show up in the beta.

Point for you !
We will see in four days

 

[Stiille]

This will happen, either this year for the 17 Pro, or, most likely, next year with the 18 Pro. With all the changes coming this year (much better cameras, a lighter aluminum design, better heat management, 12GB of RAM…) added to the great improvement of next year’s 2nm SoC, I think it’s wise to say that the iPhone 18 Pro is going to be a beast. I would definitely hold one more year, for sure.

By the way, fingers crossed to see a thermal camera for the first time ever on an iPhone.

Thermal camera … don’t think that’s gonna happen- I do think that’s more about thermal management

 

[Paddle1]

The Face ID rumors are some of the most unreliable ones by far. Expectations low.

 

[Populus]

Thermal camera … don’t think that’s gonna happen- I do think that’s more about thermal management

Yeah, I know I’m one of the few MR users that is betting for a thermal camera, and it’s a wild guess. I mean, it’s not likely because at this point it would have already leaked, but that invitation teaser screams “thermal camera” and it would be super cool. But yeah, not likely.

 

[knappeduivel]

New Feature? I often wish my iPhone were invisible....

You can make your wish come through every time by putting your phone in your pocket, a bag or a drawer.

 

[Aleh]

But it's a feature, right? Why would they make such a useful feature smaller? How will we see it? Are they going to remove this feature altogether at some point?

I can't wait for the defenders when next years novel folding iPhone uses TouchID because they couldn't scale down FaceID over 10 years from X to Fold (but hey, we got bespoke emojis out of it, woo hoo).
They'll be compelled to give a BS reason why FaceID is suddenly inferior so they went back to TouchID on the Fold. They'll cut expensive FaceID components from all future phones then claim the Dynamic Island is underutilized by developers and phase it out. People will still buy iPhones as perceived "status symbols" despite billions sold and their shareholders will sing their praises. That won't last forever, though.

The Dynamic Island is all software lol. It doesn’t need the sensors to be visible or big. In fact, if they make them smaller you actually get more space for actual Dynamic Island space.

 

[ikramerica]

What we need is for Apple to letterbox that area in landscape so that stupid app designers and website builders who make crossplatform product can’t bury important things under the island like happens now.