iPhone 18 Pro Teardown Shows Under-Display Face ID Camera and Larger Vapor Chamber [Video]

One of the first teardowns of the iPhone 18 Pro, shared on YouTube by REWA Technology, shows how Apple reduced the size of the Dynamic Island. The infrared camera used for Face ID now sits under the display in the screen corner, with an adjusted pixel arrangement above it that allows infrared light to pass through. The repositioned camera sits farther from the rest of the front camera module and is connected by three separate cables.

The unit in the video uses a physical SIM tray and carries a 4,056 mAh battery, about 1.7% larger than the cell in the iPhone 17 Pro. eSIM-only versions sold in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and other markets use a larger pack. REWA also notes a larger battery connector that it suggests may be related to faster charging, alongside a multi-layer flex cable and a change in battery supplier.

Cooling changes center on the A20 Pro, which has been moved to the surface of the motherboard and now sits in direct contact with the vapor chamber through a new thermal pad material. The chamber itself has three times the surface area of the one in the iPhone 17 Pro, according to Apple. Together, the changes should provide a substantial improvement in thermal performance.

The redesign also makes some repairs more difficult. REWA says the relocated infrared camera cutout presents a new challenge for aftermarket display manufacturers, while the NAND storage and power IC are now sandwiched between motherboard layers that must be separated for access. A logic EEPROM chip on the surface is also no longer covered by a shield, leaving it more exposed to physical damage. Elsewhere, the charging port flex has been reduced from two cables to one.

The teardown also reveals a larger Fusion main camera with variable aperture hardware. REWA found no major changes to the frame or back cover structure, though the aluminum and glass feature the more closely color-matched finish introduced this year.

The iPhone 18 Pro starts at $1,199 and is available beginning today alongside the iPhone 18 Pro Max.