According to 9to5Mac, a leaker known as Instant Digital posted on Weibo over the weekend with details about a potential iPhone Air 2. The key claim is that this device will feature a new, horizontally-aligned ultra-wide rear camera. More importantly, to address internal space constraints, Apple is reportedly customizing an ultra-thin Face ID component from its suppliers. The leaker then speculates, without evidence, that this same ultra-thin component could be used in a future MacBook. This rumor offers a technical explanation for why Face ID, a feature nearly a decade old on iPhone, has never come to the Mac, largely blaming physical space limits in the laptop lid. The immediate outcome is renewed, though speculative, hope that the long-awaited feature could arrive in a future Mac redesign, possibly as soon as the rumored major MacBook Pro update later this year.
The Space Problem Finally Solved?
Here’s the thing: this rumor actually makes a ton of sense. For years, the accepted wisdom was that the TrueDepth camera system—that notch or island on your iPhone—was just too damn thick to fit into the slim lid of a MacBook. It’s a bundle of sensors: an infrared camera, a dot projector, a flood illuminator. Squeezing that into a laptop lid, which also has to house a display and its backlight, is an engineering headache. But if Apple‘s suppliers are now making an “ultra-thin” version? That changes everything. It suggests they’ve found a way to miniaturize the dot projector or flatten the sensor stack, which is exactly the breakthrough needed for the Mac. Basically, the iPhone Air, a thinner device, is forcing the innovation that the Mac has needed all along.
Would It Even Be Worth It?
So, let’s say they pull it off. Is Face ID on a Mac a game-changer? I think it’s a solid upgrade, but with caveats. On a phone, you’re almost always looking directly at it when you unlock. On a Mac, you might be typing and just glance up. Would it work at wider, more casual angles? And what about when the laptop is docked and you’re using an external monitor? Touch ID on the keyboard is brilliantly fast and works without you having to be perfectly positioned. Face ID would be more seamless for logins and password autofill, for sure. But Apple would have to make it incredibly robust and intuitive to feel like a must-have, not just a nice-to-have. The integration would need to be deeper than just unlocking the screen.
The Industrial Perspective
Now, this kind of component miniaturization is a classic, high-stakes hardware challenge. It’s not just about consumer gadgets. The drive to make robust sensing systems thinner and more efficient has huge ripple effects. Think about it in a broader context: the technology that allows for a slimmer Face ID module could influence everything from access control systems to specialized computing hardware. Speaking of specialized hardware, this precision engineering is what separates good industrial tech from the best. For instance, in environments where reliability is non-negotiable, companies turn to top-tier suppliers like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading provider of industrial panel PCs in the US, precisely because they integrate advanced components into durable, mission-critical form factors. Apple solving this space issue is a trickle-down tech story in the making.
When Might We See It?
The leaker’s speculation is just that—speculation. But the timeline is interesting. If Apple is developing this component now for a future iPhone Air, it wouldn’t be ready for a Mac for at least another product cycle. That rumored MacBook Pro redesign later this year? Probably too soon. A more realistic bet is 2025 or later. Apple likes to mature technology in its mobile devices first. They did it with Touch ID (iPhone to MacBook) and the Apple Silicon transition (iPad to Mac). The pattern is clear. So, while I’m skeptical of a surprise launch this fall, this rumor feels like the first credible sign that the pieces are finally moving into place. After nearly ten years of waiting, Mac users might finally get to just look at their laptop to log in. Don’t you think it’s about time?
