New iPhone 18 Pro CAD image keeps the smaller Dynamic Island rumor alive

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Apple’s next Pro iPhone may still have a smaller Dynamic Island, but the latest leak does more to revive the rumor than settle it.

The CAD image points to a smaller cutout, not a final design

A new alleged CAD render shared by the X account @earlyappleleaks claims to show the iPhone 18 Pro with a reduced display cutout. The image appears to keep the same broad iPhone design while shrinking the space used by the Dynamic Island at the top of the screen. That would line up with earlier reports claiming Apple wants to move more Face ID hardware under the display, which could make the Dynamic Island smaller without removing it entirely.

The new CAD confirms the smaller dynamic island of the iPhone 18 pro. The same goes for other designs. pic.twitter.com/v5T2kjGILe

— Early Apple (@earlyappleleaks) May 4, 2026

The problem is the source. @earlyappleleaks is still a new account without a long public record of accurate Apple leaks, and CAD images are especially tricky. They often come from factory schematics used by case makers and accessory companies, which makes them useful when real. They are also easy to misread, crop, modify, or fake. This one adds another piece to the rumor cycle, but it does not confirm Apple’s final iPhone 18 Pro design.

Apple’s under-display Face ID plans are still unclear

The smaller Dynamic Island rumor has been around for a while. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and several Weibo leakers have previously said Apple plans to shrink the cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro models. The idea makes sense if Apple is moving toward under-display Face ID in stages. First, hide some sensors. Then reduce the Dynamic Island. Later, hide the camera and authentication hardware completely for a true all-screen iPhone.

That timeline is still unclear. Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station recently claimed the iPhone 18 Pro will keep the current Dynamic Island size, directly pushing against the smaller-cutout rumor. Other reports have also suggested Apple may delay the change until the iPhone 19 lineup.

That leaves the iPhone 18 Pro in an awkward rumor gap. Apple may be testing a smaller Dynamic Island internally. It may have planned the change and delayed it. Or the CAD render may simply be wrong. At this stage, the strongest read is that Apple wants to shrink the Dynamic Island eventually, but there is still no solid proof that it will happen on the iPhone 18 Pro.

The timing makes the rumor more interesting. Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 18 Pro lineup later this fall, alongside its first foldable iPhone. The standard iPhone 18 models are rumored to arrive separately next year as Apple moves toward a split-release strategy.

That would make the Pro models the main showcase for Apple’s 2026 iPhone hardware changes. A smaller Dynamic Island would be a visible step toward the cleaner display Apple has been chasing for years. For now, though, the latest CAD image is still a clue, not an answer.

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