All four iPhone 17 models will adopt metalens technology for Face ID, according to Jeff Pu, an Apple analyst at equity research firm GF Securities. He revealed this information in an investor research note earlier this month.
Earlier this year, a leaker known as Digital Chat Station also claimed that the iPhone 17 Pro Max would adopt a metalens for Face ID that integrates the transmitter and receiver components. They said that this change would reduce the size of some of the Face ID components, resulting in a smaller Dynamic Island on the device.
Last year, Pu also said that the iPhone 17 Pro Max would have a much narrower Dynamic Island, as a result of the metalens. However, he now believes that all of the iPhone 17 models will adopt a metalens, meaning that the change would extend to the base model iPhone 17, the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and the smaller iPhone 17 Pro.
In January, however, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he expects the Dynamic Island's size to remain "largely unchanged" across the iPhone 17 series.
All three sources have proven track records of sharing details about future Apple products, so it remains to be seen if the Dynamic Island will change in size.
In any case, next year's iPhone 18 Pro models are rumored to feature under-screen Face ID with only a small front camera hole.
