iPhone 18 Pro Dynamic Island to Shrink, Add Third Live Activity - MacRumors
Skip to Content

iPhone 18 Pro Dynamic Island to Shrink, Add Third Live Activity

Apple's upcoming iPhone 18 Pro will come with a narrower Dynamic Island that will allow it to display more Live Activities than the current iPhone 17 Pro, according to Bloomberg.

smaller dynamic island iphone 18 pro Filip Vabrousek

iPhone 18 Pro mockup by Filip Vabrousek

Mark Gurman reports that the new "smaller and improved" Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will allow users to "toggle between three live tasks" at the top of their screen.

Previously, the Dynamic Island could only display up to two Live Activities at a time. This design has been in place since the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, which launched in 2022.

Otherwise, Gurman says the look of the iPhone 18 Pro models is similar to the iPhone 17 Pro models, save for a new "burgundy red" color option replacing the popular Cosmic Orange. Sky blue and Silver have also been reported previously as potential color options.

Internal upgrades include a new A20 Pro chip manufactured using TSMC's 2nm process, longer battery life, a revamped vapor chamber cooling system, and a mechanical aperture lens that enables more precise depth of field and better low-light performance – though this latter feature may be exclusive to the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event kicks off at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time later today, and we'll have full coverage right here on MacRumors.

Related Roundup: iPhone 18 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

deep black iphone 18 pro

Apple Says iPhone 18 Pro Max Sold in U.S. Differs in One Way

Saturday September 12, 2026 3:27 pm PDT by
As noted by Nicolas Lellouche, who writes for the French tech website Numerama, Apple has updated its tech specs pages for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max to clarify which models are equipped with its new C2 cellular modem and where. Apple now says the iPhone 18 Pro has a C2 modem worldwide, while the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses the chip in every country except for the U.S. According...
iPhone 18 Pro Black

Didn't Pre-Order iPhone 18 Pro Yet? Here's How Long the Wait is Now

Saturday September 12, 2026 6:48 am PDT by
iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders began today in the U.S. and many other countries. If you have yet to place a pre-order on Apple's online store, you might face a longer wait now, depending on your desired configuration. The first customers who pre-ordered right when pre-orders began on September 12 at 5 a.m. Pacific Time will have their devices delivered on Friday, September...
iphone 18 pro max prepare

iPhone 18 Pro Max Requires 'Prepare to Ship' Battery Drain Before Shipping

Friday September 18, 2026 4:27 pm PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro Max has a battery capacity over 20 watt-hours, which means there are additional shipping requirements. If an iPhone 18 Pro Max needs to be shipped somewhere, its maximum battery capacity has to be limited through firmware. According to Apple, the iPhone 18 Pro Max uses an "innovative battery-firmware solution" that limits battery capacity to below 20Wh between when the...

Top Rated Comments

5 weeks ago

how does it become smaller AND show more?
The Dynamic Island is hardware+software. The whole Dynamic Island (cutout+software/display functions) can remain the same size or get larger while just the hardware (cutout) component shrinks.

A lot of reporting about the Dynamic Island conflates the hardware (pill-shaped cutout) with the entire Dynamic Island, which includes the software functions around the pill.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5 weeks ago
how does it become smaller AND show more?
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5 weeks ago
Highly possible that this will be only for 18 Pro but will be disappointing if the option to have 3 live activities is not made available on the 17 Pro/Pro Max and older iPhones. See no reason why it cannot be done.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5 weeks ago

I agree, I get frustrated when Apple touts something as an amazing revolutionizing "feature" only for the developers to never utilize it.
As a developer, the reason, in my experience, is that Apple either failed to properly document the APIs, choose APIs that were terrible (meaning that it takes so much code to support the features that it is not worth it), or failed to make the APIs work correctly.

It usually takes 2 to 3 years for new non-OS Apple features to work correctly. You see Apple just throws something together to make the Keynote and see if the new functionality sticks. If it does, then they move on, if not they may or may not work to improve it over the next few years.

It seems like OS code is done by quality engineers that seem to know what they are doing, but Apple's App APIs appear, because of their quality, to be done by foreign born teenagers that have never worked around or with a knowledge of usability and production quality software techniques.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
User 6502 Avatar
5 weeks ago

how does it become smaller AND show more?
It can show more only because the hardware cut out is smaller, so there are more pixels that can show actual information in the same pill dimension, as less of it is taken by camera and faceid array.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5 weeks ago
The Samsung implementation is so much better because I can actually reach it with my thumb.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
New Entry-Level iPad Not Expected Until Early 2027
New Entry-Level iPad Not Expected Until Early 2027
1 hour ago
Apple Plans Major iPhone Duo Retail Showcase, But Supply Will Be Limited
Apple Plans Major iPhone Duo Retail Showcase, But Supply Will Be Limited
2 hours ago
Apple TV 4K Getting A19 Chip and a Potentially Easier-to-Find Siri Remote
Apple TV 4K Getting A19 Chip and a Potentially Easier-to-Find Siri Remote
2 hours ago
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Receive Up to $200 Price Cuts at Amazon
New Mac Mini and Mac Studio Receive Up to $200 Price Cuts at Amazon
3 hours ago
Apple HomeView Smart Hub to Ship in Mid-November in Four Colors
Apple HomeView Smart Hub to Ship in Mid-November in Four Colors
2 hours ago
New Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini to Ship on October 30
New Apple TV 4K and HomePod Mini to Ship on October 30
3 hours ago
AirPods Max 2 Available for $429 in All Colors on Amazon
AirPods Max 2 Available for $429 in All Colors on Amazon
3 hours ago
Rumor: Apple to Announce New Partnership With ADT
Rumor: Apple to Announce New Partnership With ADT
15 hours ago
AirPods 5 vs. AirPods 5 With Wireless Charging Case Buyer's Guide
AirPods 5 vs. AirPods 5 With Wireless Charging Case Buyer's Guide
1 day ago
Accessory Deals This Weekend: Save on TVs, Headphones, and Smart Home Gear
Accessory Deals This Weekend: Save on TVs, Headphones, and Smart Home Gear
1 day ago
Apple's All-New Home Hub Will Be Revealed October 13: What to Expect
Apple's All-New Home Hub Will Be Revealed October 13: What to Expect
1 day ago
Apple Announcing HomePod Mini 2 Next Week With These New Features
Apple Announcing HomePod Mini 2 Next Week With These New Features
1 day ago
A New Apple TV 4K is Finally Coming on Tuesday
A New Apple TV 4K is Finally Coming on Tuesday
1 day ago
Top Stories: Apple's 'Welcome Home' Launch on October 13 and More
Top Stories: Apple's 'Welcome Home' Launch on October 13 and More
1 day ago
Apple Stores Will Add Your Name to iPhone Duo's Startup Screen
Apple Stores Will Add Your Name to iPhone Duo's Startup Screen
2 days ago
SpaceX Inches Closer to Becoming a U.S. Carrier
SpaceX Inches Closer to Becoming a U.S. Carrier
2 days ago
Apple Potentially Behind 'HomeView' Trademark Filed Alongside 'homeOS' Last Year
Apple Potentially Behind 'HomeView' Trademark Filed Alongside 'homeOS' Last Year
2 days ago
Mark Your Calendar: Six Important Apple Dates Coming Up This Month
Mark Your Calendar: Six Important Apple Dates Coming Up This Month
2 days ago
MacRumors Giveaway: Win an Apple Watch Series 12 and a Nylon Band From Southern Straps
MacRumors Giveaway: Win an Apple Watch Series 12 and a Nylon Band From Southern Straps
2 days ago
First Apple TV 4K Now 'Vintage' Ahead of New Model Coming on Tuesday
First Apple TV 4K Now 'Vintage' Ahead of New Model Coming on Tuesday
2 days ago
The MacRumors Show: Apple's Smart Home Products Are Coming
The MacRumors Show: Apple's Smart Home Products Are Coming
2 days ago
Apple Shares Fall After News of iPhone 18 Pro Order Cuts
Apple Shares Fall After News of iPhone 18 Pro Order Cuts
2 days ago
Leak Details iPhone Features for Apple's LG Home Accessories
Leak Details iPhone Features for Apple's LG Home Accessories
2 days ago
Prime Day Leftover Deals: AirPods Max 2 for $429, Mac Mini for $779.99, and More
Prime Day Leftover Deals: AirPods Max 2 for $429, Mac Mini for $779.99, and More
2 days ago
Every M5 MacBook Air Now $200 Off on Amazon
Every M5 MacBook Air Now $200 Off on Amazon
2 days ago
Mac Shipments Fall, But Apple Still Gains Ground in Shrinking Market
Mac Shipments Fall, But Apple Still Gains Ground in Shrinking Market
2 days ago
Apple Reportedly Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders After Price Hike Dampens Demand
Apple Reportedly Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Orders After Price Hike Dampens Demand
2 days ago
Apple Signs Hiring and Licensing Deal With AI Podcast Startup Huxe
Apple Signs Hiring and Licensing Deal With AI Podcast Startup Huxe
2 days ago
Apple's October 13 Launch: What's Coming
Apple's October 13 Launch: What's Coming
3 days ago
Anthropic Says Users Can't Be Needlessly Cruel to Claude
Anthropic Says Users Can't Be Needlessly Cruel to Claude
3 days ago