The industry publication <#LINK TEXT="TheElec" URL="https://www.thelec.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=24568"> cites sources at the manufacturer giant LG Innotek and claims that the implementation of the Face Under-display ID technology in the iPhone lineup likely won’t arrive until the iPhone 19 generation, which isn’t expected until 2027 at the earliest.
The report explains that Apple has evaluated solutions from multiple vendors but is not yet satisfied with the quality compromises required to place the currently exposed Face ID dot projector and accompanying infrared camera under the iPhone screen.
The Face ID system projects an intricate pattern of infrared dots onto the user’s face and detects the distortion with a special IR camera to create a depth map for authentication. Experts say the IR camera itself could likely be placed out of sight with less difficulty than the dot projector, but Apple will likely merge the entire Face ID array once the quality is deemed acceptable.
The selfie camera on the front of the iPhone should also come under the display. This will take even longer.
The efforts to hide Face ID and the selfie camera are seen as crucial steps in Apple’s long-term vision of creating an iPhone with a seamless, bezel-less front.
LG Innotek and display maker Samsung are known to be among the key suppliers providing Apple with prototypes and competing solutions for testing. However, sources point to Apple’s unrelenting quality standards, which have resulted in repeated rejections so far.
Experts assume that Apple will retain a small cutout for the front camera in an interim phase.
Years of racing for invisible technology
Rumors about further development of under-display technology have been around for almost half a decade.
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