The launch of the iPhone 17 Pro Max is still some way off, but that doesn't mean there aren't rumors about expected upgrades to this phone. The latest rumors reiterated earlier claims that Apple may resize the Dynamic Island on next year's Max-size iPhone.

The claim comes from Jeff Pu, an analyst at Investment Memo, as seen by MacRumors. According to Pu, the iPhone 17 Pro Max will use a “meta-lens” for the Face ID system, which will “significantly narrow” the Dynamic Island. However, this change appears to apply only to the Pro Max and not to other devices in the iPhone 17 series.

As MacRumors points out, traditional iPhone cameras have a curved lens that redirects light entering the image sensor. Meta lenses, on the other hand, are thinner, flatter lenses with microscopic etching. This means it can collect light more precisely, but it is unclear how Apple will actually use this in Face ID.

Pu did not announce any details beyond the inclusion of the lens. But perhaps there is something about the meta-lens that will allow Apple to reduce the total area needed for the front camera and visible Face ID components. That would reduce the size of the Dynamic Island pill.

Sadly, we should not expect any further changes regarding Dynamic Island and Face ID. There are rumors that Apple is aiming for an under-display Face ID, but that redesign will apparently be delayed until 2026 at the earliest.

This is unfortunate, as we would love to see an iPhone that successfully hides all of the Face ID hardware from view, leaving only one front camera lens. We hope Apple will have something worked out by 2027, the 10th anniversary of Face ID and the iPhone X's ridiculously large notch.

We'll have to wait until next September to know exactly what Apple's future plans are for Face ID, but we're sure to hear more rumors as the months go by. Until then, check back for news and rumors about the iPhone 17.