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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.
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.
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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.
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Dirham-Backed Stablecoin DDSC Enters Live Phase In UAE
Central Bank approval moves the dirham-backed token into deployment, targeting regulated payments and settlement flows.
The UAE has cleared the launch of DDSC, a dirham-backed stablecoin now entering live operation after approval from the Central Bank. The move pushes the project beyond its pilot phase and into the country’s regulated financial system.
The token is backed by a consortium led by IHC, Sirius International Holding and First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), framing it as an institutional instrument rather than a consumer crypto product. DDSC was first announced in April 2025, but regulatory clearance now allows deployment and integration across approved channels.
DDSC runs on ADI Chain, a Layer 2 blockchain built by the Abu Dhabi-based ADI Foundation. The infrastructure is designed for governance and performance requirements expected by large institutions, linking blockchain settlement with existing compliance and oversight frameworks.
The focus is practical, targeting treasury settlements, high-value payments, trade and supply-chain transactions, and programmable financial flows for regulated entities. FAB plans to offer access to the token through approved platforms for its clients, keeping the rollout inside controlled banking environments.
“DDSC marks a defining milestone in the UAE’s digital finance journey,” said Syed Basar Shueb, CEO of IHC. “With the Central Bank’s approval and our transition into live operation, we are delivering trusted, institutional-grade infrastructure that strengthens resilience, accelerates innovation, and expands what is possible in regulated digital payments”.
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FAB says the project reflects how stablecoins can sit within traditional finance when risk controls are built in from the outset. “This milestone underscores that stablecoins can be integrated responsibly into the financial system when built to meet rigorous regulatory and risk requirements,” said Futoon Hamdan AlMazrouei, Group Head of Personal, Business, Wealth and Privileged Client Banking Group at FAB.
The launch reinforces the UAE’s strategy of pushing digital finance through regulation instead of open-ended crypto experimentation. Stablecoins in this model are positioned less as trading assets and more as programmable extensions of national currency, aimed at institutional scale and government use cases.
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