iPhone Specs Rumors: All Units Starting 2018 Will Have OLED Panels?
Apple is rumored to be shifting to incorporating organic light-emitting diode display panels for all their new smartphones that will be launched in 2018.
The Nikkei Asian Review said it has at least two industry sources claiming that Apple has decided to completely ditch using liquid crystal display panels for future generations of iPhones starting next year.
Meanwhile, several analysts and information leakers agreed that Apple initially planned to implement the change this year. However, the scarcity of supplies forced them to use OLED panels only for their highly anticipated premium smartphone offering, dubbed as the iPhone 8, which comes later this year. The iPhone 7s and 7s Plus are expected to still sport LCD screens.
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In the past, Apple has opted to use LCD for their mobile devices' screens. However, the market for smartphones with very thin bezels is growing and it can only be done effectively with the use of OLED panels. Thus, Apple needs to do the switch.
Various prototypes and leaked schematics show that the iPhone 8 will feature an edge-to-edge display — removing the physical home button — to join the race of premium smartphones with bigger screens.
According to Nikkei, right now, Apple is already designing its next iPhone offering and the inclusion of OLED panels is likely. However, the report added that considering the project is still in its early stages, there is always a chance for the Cupertino, California, technology firm to change their plans along the way.
Also, the availability of suppliers that can accommodate Apple's future need for OLED panels is also a great factor to consider.
Despite the growing demand for smartphones with OLED screens, so far, Samsung Display is reportedly the lone manufacturer that other companies can trust to provide them with large orders of the said type of display panels.
That is why, reports say that Apple is interested in investing in an LG Display factory to widen their sources of OLED displays, especially if the plan is to make it the next typical screen for their new iPhones.
