This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple’s Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn’t included in the iPhone 14 Pro models.

According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the ‌iPhone 15‌ series will be integrated inside the ‌Dynamic Island‌ area, instead of sitting below it.

In the iPhone 14 Pro, the proximity sensor is located under the display (outside the Dynamic Island). Conversely, in the iPhone 15 series, the proximity sensor is situated within the Dynamic Island, with almost no change to the Dynamic Island area.

The proximity sensor detects when the user holds the phone up to their ear and shuts off the screen. It’s possible that moving the location of the sensor could be related to improvements to Face ID, but as Kuo says, the tweak is unlikely to result in any difference to the look or functionality of the ‌Dynamic Island‌. Regardless, it will mark a change in components that may have simply been instigated to reduce costs.

According to Kuo, Apple supplier Finisar will shift to providing Apple with 940nm wavelength proximity sensors, compared to 1380nm for the ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌. Based on additional information provided to MacRumors by leaker Unknownz21, the new proximity sensor is now part of the Single Pearl Module, codenamed “Sphinx.”

Apple is expected to launch the ‌iPhone 15‌ lineup in September as usual. For everything we know about what’s new in the new models, be sure to check out our dedicated roundups using the links below.

Popular Stories

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said the update should be released “in the next three weeks or so,” meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features …

Apple ‘Tracking Employee Attendance’ in Crackdown on Remote Working

Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer’s Zoë Schiffer. Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least…

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1…

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple’s Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn’t included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island …

Nothing Launches $149 Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to Compete With AirPods Pro 2

Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they’re a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash. The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),…

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you’re chatting with and vice versa. Voice…

Apple Stops Allowing Sprint iPhone Activations, Removes Sprint References From Online Store

Apple is no longer allowing customers who purchase an iPhone, cellular iPad, or Apple Watch to activate a device with now-defunct mobile carrier Sprint. Apple has also removed remaining references to Sprint from its online store. When checking out with a new purchase, Sprint is no longer an option for connectivity, a change that Apple appears to have implemented today. Prior to now, Sprint…

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for…