The next generation iPhone Air could bring a thinner Face ID

The first generation iPhone Air invented a new market segment: ultra-thin smartphones, but it didn’t do as well as the company expected. Now that the segment has a few players, it is all the more important for the Cupertino giant to maintain its lead, especially as a pioneer.

To achieve that, the company plans to upgrade the iPhone Air 2 with a secondary camera, something we’ve known about for a while. However, there is a new leak from the Chinese tipster Directly 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 orders a vendor to customize an ultra-thin Face ID part,” reads the Weibo post (translated from simplified Chinese). The sleek Face ID component can refer 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 thus a smaller Dynamic Island, similar to what was rumored for the iPhone 18 Pro models. At the same time, the smaller part could help free up some space in the slim iPhone’s chassis.

The freed up space, together with other technical optimizations, should make way for the secondary ultra-wide camera on the back of the iPhone Air 2, on the horizontal plateau.

The launch timeline remains unclear for iPhone Air 2

What’s even more interesting is the tipster’s claim about the sleeker Face ID module making its way to an upcoming MacBook Pro. However, I’m taking this information with a grain of salt as there are no other industry sources claiming that Face ID will be on a future MacBook model.

If all goes well, Apple may 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.