iPhone 14 Pro: Display analyst says Face ID hardware is not under-screen but will be in a separate cutout

A renowned display analyst agrees with reports that the iPhone 14 Pro will be the first Apple smartphone to sport a hole cutout instead of a notch. However, he does not expect the Face ID hardware to be hidden under-display as other sources previously claimed.

DSCC CEO Ross Young, who has had accurate Apple predictions before, said on Wednesday that the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max design would include pill-shaped and round cutouts. They are expected to house the devices’ selfie cameras and Face ID hardware, respectively.

The analyst further emphasized that the latter “will not be invisible,” which would allow Apple to introduce a new phone with a unique design. Young added that if the iPhone 14 Pro were to only sport a pill-shaped cutout, the device could end up being compared to several Huawei devices.

DylandDKT previously reported that Apple may place the Face ID hardware under the display. However, Young’s more recent tweets indicate that such a design is not yet ready to be implemented this year in the iPhone 14 Pro. While the under-display Face ID development is reportedly “making progress,” Young said it has yet to qualify for mass production in time for the iPhone 14’s launch time frame. The analyst said it is more likely to happen in 2023 or 2024.

Having two separate cutouts to replace the notch would certainly be a unique design choice. But a rendered concept image from artist Ian Zelbo should help Apple fans visualize how the rumored iPhone 14 Pro design would look.

Young also has bad news for Apple fans hoping to see the Touch ID return in the iPhone 14 series. The analyst said it does not look like the tech giant will be able to make it happen this year. This lines up with what well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said last September. Updating his earlier predictions, Kuo said (via MacRumors) the Touch ID comeback as an under-screen sensor had been delayed to the second half of 2023. That means the biometric authentication system may not be available until the launch of the iPhone 15.

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