The US tech giant, Apple Inc. is about to launch three new iPhone models in 2017 and this time, the high-end iPhone version will be featured with a curved OLED display. Similar curved OLED display was earlier installed in Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge and Note 7. A report from Nikkei claims that the upcoming iPhone will also likely to sport ‘foldable’ display by 2019.
As per the rumors, next iPhones will come in three different display options; viz. a 4.7-inch model, 5.5-inch model and a premium model with a 5.5-inch or larger screen that is curved from both sides. The first two variants will include flat screens just like the existing Apple smartphones. The report also claimed that Apple’s decision to shift on curved display is an attempt to get closer to the increasing pressure from Android manufacturers.
OLED technology will account for roughly 36% of all handsets shipped by 2020 and it will be the most popular display technology for smartphones, HIS predicts.
The premium handset will likely to move on to OLED panels over LTPS screens as OLED displays offer sharper color contrast, said Mr. David Hsieh, Senior Director at HIS DisplaySearch. The OLED screens are flexible and hence it allows manufacturers to produce curved or even flexible displays. The OLED displays for Apple will be provided by Samsung Electronics by next year, Mr. Hsieh further said.
Nikkei said that Samsung is the sole company that provides flexible OLED displays. It initiated the curved displays last year with the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge and Galaxy 6 Edge. And the latest smartphone lineup of Samsung with curved screen includes Galaxy 7 Edge and Note 7.
Going further, the iPhone mobiles of 2018 might offer all four sides with curved edges and the home button might disappear from its front panel. Apple will likely to launch two foldable iPhone in 2019, Hsieh said. An iPhone having a 4.7-inch display can be turned into an iPad mini, while the 5.5-inch smartphone will be turned into a full-sized iPad when unfolded.
Reference: Nikkei
