News

iPhone 18 Pro Leak Hints At Under-Screen Face ID

Rumors are also circulating about new silicon and a split launch cycle as Apple tests bigger batteries, satellite 5G, and updated colors.

Published

9 months ago

January 21, 2026

Nour Nasir

iphone 18 pro leaks hints at under-screen face id

Apple’s next Pro iPhones may hide Face ID hardware under the screen, leaving only a small selfie camera cut-out pushed to the top-left. The Dynamic Island would shrink but stay relatively unchanged as a software-based feature for alerts and Live Activities. It’s the clearest sign of a front redesign after years of incremental changes.

Renders on Chinese platforms show the Pro and Pro Max keeping their rear look while testing new Burgundy, Brown and Purple finishes. The Pro Max is tipped for a 6.9-inch LTPO 120 Hz display and a 5,100 mAh battery. The regular Pro sticks to 6.3 inches. Lower-tier models such as the iPhone 18 and Air 2 would retain the Dynamic Island and 120 Hz panels at 6.3 and 6.5 inches.

Photography controls could also change again: Reports say Apple is dropping the capacitive camera button for a pressure-based mechanism with firmer feedback and simpler manufacturing. A variable-aperture main camera is also being tested to handle lighting shifts without heavy computational tricks, a feature already seen on select Android flagships.

Silicon is moving in-house: Pro models are rumored to run an A20 Pro chip on a 2 nm process and a C2 modem instead of Qualcomm parts, underscoring Apple’s bid to control radio performance and supply. Satellite-based 5G is also being explored beyond emergency SOS to provide basic connectivity when terrestrial coverage fails. Coverage gaps in remote regions, including many parts of the MENA region, make that push relevant for roaming and tourism.

Timing may be the bigger shake-up: Multiple tipsters point to a two-season cycle, with the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max appearing in September 2026, then the standard iPhone 18 and iPhone Air 2 in March 2027. A cheaper iPhone 17e could land in between, hinting at tighter segmentation and smoother production loads for Apple’s supply chain.

Also Read: Belkin Launches Wireless HDMI Adapter With 131-Foot Range

None of this is confirmed. Display specs come from Digital Chat Station, a prolific Weibo leaker with prior Apple hits. The volume of detail suggests Apple is preparing a more assertive hardware refresh after conservative moves on recent generations.

News

NEOPAY Wants To Follow Merchants Across Channels And Borders

A controlling 65% stake in noon payments would give NEOPAY access to marketplace sellers, online merchants and the payment flows they generate.

Published

1 day ago

October 5, 2026

Nour Nasir

neopay wants to follow merchants across channels and borders

It’s been a long time since checkouts were single defined places. A merchant might take payments at a physical register, on its own website and through an online marketplace, sometimes in more than one country. NEOPAY wants to follow those transactions wherever they happen.

The UAE payments company has entered into an agreement to acquire a 65% controlling stake in noon payments. NEOPAY already runs the acquiring infrastructure that lets merchants accept card payments, along with omnichannel acceptance and a merchant services platform. This new deal would add noon payments’ embedded payments platform, e-commerce gateway and merchant network across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That would considerably expand both NEOPAY’s digital commerce capabilities and its regional reach.

For merchants, the attraction is a single provider for online and in-store payments, plus faster settlements, data and analytics, and value-added financial services.

“Payments should be simple, reliable, and built for the markets they serve,” said Faraz Khalid, CEO of noon. His counterpart at NEOPAY, Vibhor Mundhada, added: “We have built a strong payments business in the UAE, and our ambition is now to take that capability across the region”. The acquisition, Mundhada added, would “expand our footprint into Saudi Arabia and Egypt” while reinforcing NEOPAY’s position at home.

Also Read: In Kuwait, Your Surgeon Might Be Operating From Another Country

NEOPAY is also keen to point out potential payment volume increases. The company says noon payments’ integrations with marketplace sellers and online merchants create high transaction density in some of the region’s fastest-growing digital commerce segments. It also believes control of the business would give it access to those merchant relationships and payment flows, and speed up the rollout of alternative payment methods and installment options.

The combined roadmap targets faster merchant onboarding, better payment performance, tighter fraud controls and embedded financial services. The deal could also strengthen cross-border payments and settlement along key regional commerce corridors.