The first-generation iPhone Air invented a new market segment — ultra-thin smartphones — but didn’t do as well as the company expected. Now that the segment has a couple of players, it’s all the more important for the Cupertino giant to maintain its lead, especially as the pioneer.
To achieve that, the company has been planning to upgrade the iPhone Air 2 with a secondary camera, something we’ve known for a while. However, a new leak from the Chinese tipster Instant Digital now claims that the next-generation slim iPhone could also get a slimmer Face ID module.
Slimmer Face ID could mean a smaller Dynamic Island
“Apple is commissioning a supplier to customize an ultra-thin Face ID component,” reads the Weibo post (translated from Chinese Simplified). The slim Face ID component could refer either to a specific part of the module or to the entire module.
It could result in a visibly smaller Face ID cutout on the iPhone Air 2’s screen, and therefore, a smaller Dynamic Island, similar to that rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. At the same time, the smaller component could help free up some space inside the slim iPhone’s chassis.
The freed-up space, along with other engineering optimizations, should make way for the secondary ultrawide camera on the iPhone Air 2’s back, in the horizontal plateau.
Launch timeline remains unclear for iPhone Air 2
What’s even more interesting is the tipster’s claim about the slimmer Face ID module making its way to an upcoming MacBook Pro. However, I’m taking this information with a pinch of salt, as there aren’t any other industry sources that have claimed Face ID will be on a future MacBook model.
If everything goes well, Apple might launch the iPhone Air 2 in September 2026, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s first foldable iPhone. However, some rumors also suggest that the smartphone could arrive in the spring of next year, around March 2027.