Apple’s Dynamic Island: How does it work on iPhone 18 Pro and foldable Duo? Explained
Apple’s Dynamic Island is a pill-shaped area at the top of the iPhone screen. It replaces the notch and shows alerts, app notifications, and updates from ongoing tasks. You can tap or hold it to see details and use controls.
The feature was launched on the iPhone 14 Pro in 2022. It has been available on every subsequent Pro model, as well as the full iPhone 15 and 16 series (and later). However, it works differently on the iPhone 18 Pro and the foldable iPhone Duo.
Dynamic Island on iPhone 18 Pro
Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro combines a smaller cutout with support for more simultaneous Live Activities. It shows updates from ongoing activities while keeping their details accessible. The changes cover both the hardware and the software surrounding it.
On the hardware side, the cutout is smaller and narrower than on previous models. Apple achieved this by moving the Face ID infrared camera under the display. There is a specialised pixel arrangement that lets infrared light pass through.
This leaves more usable screen area on the Pro model’s 6.3-inch display while still supporting full Face ID functionality. It supports unlocking and Apple Pay, and app authentication continues to work as before.
The software upgrade allows up to three Live Activities at once. These are ongoing updates from tasks running in the background. For example, Dynamic Island can show an Uber ride, a sports score and a kitchen timer together. A workout session is another activity it can display.
Earlier versions showed one main activity in the cutout alongside a second, separate bubble (a maximum of two). The revised layout uses the narrower cutout and surrounding space for three activities. This helps users follow several tasks from the same area.
To focus on an activity, tap its indicator. On models that support three activities, you can also swipe across Dynamic Island to move between them. For more information, touch and hold the activity you want to view.
This opens a larger notification card containing further details. Swipe up to collapse the card into its compact position again.
These changes give users more screen space and easier access to several ongoing updates at once. The hardware keeps the necessary sensors within a smaller area, while the software arranges up to three activities around that space and provides simple touch controls.
Dynamic Island on iPhone Duo
The iPhone Duo has two displays. Each display has its own front camera. The outer camera sits in the corner. It is always visible. The inner camera stays hidden behind the screen until it is active.
On the outer display, the camera area expands into the Dynamic Island. It appears when a Live Activity runs. The island sits atop a vertical column on the side of the screen.
The status bar, toolbar and tab bar sit below it. Apple says these controls move to the side to save vertical space for content.
The controls stay on the side when the phone opens in landscape. This keeps the experience consistent across both displays. The exception is the inner display in portrait mode. It has enough vertical space to keep standard horizontal bars.
