Apple supplier purportedly working on tech to allow for an iPhone with under-display Face ID

LG Innotek has stared development on an under panel camera that would hide camera holes — purportedly for an upcoming iPhone, reports The Elec.

This would allow for the rumored smartphone with an under-display Face ID system. The Elec says Apple is set to introduce this “after 2026,” which would imply not before the iPhone 19 in 2027.

Apple has filed for and/or been grated several patents for an iPhone with an under-display Face ID system. One is number US 20230168711 A1 for an “electronic device including a camera disposed behind a display. 

The invention generally relates to electronic devices including a camera and a display, and, in particular, to electronic devices including a front-facing camera disposed behind a front-facing display.

In the patent filing, Apple notes that some electronic devices include a display which displays an image to a user and a camera which captures image of scene in which the user is present. However, in some such electronic devices, the camera reduces the potential size of the display, as the camera occupies a portion of the front surface of the electronic device preventing the portion from being occupied by the display. Apple is at least considering plans to change this.