Several sources claim that Apple Inc. will unveil its first iPhone with a curved OLED display in 2017. Apple Inc.'s suppliers say they have been requested to increase production of thinner organic light-emitting displays and submit more prototype screens with superior resolution than ones from Samsung.
"By using a plastic OLED screen, the screen can bend at the edges to allow a curved bezel-less edge, analysts wrote. The Cupertino, California company is said to have more than 10 different iPhone prototypes under advancement, so it may choose not to use a version with an OLED display next year, according to a report.
Screen Battle: Conventional LCD Vs. OLED
An iPhone with an OLED screen could be one of many models to be launched, people familiar with the matter said. However, they might come out more costly because OLED displays are more expensive to produce. OLED screens can also be more energy efficient, as unlike LCD displays, they do not require a backlight to illuminate the screen. MacRumors reports that when displaying black pixels, OLED displays are completely off, which could preserve battery life. However, they could be as much as $50 more expensive to produce, according to analysts' estimations.
Liquid-crystal displays are the prevailing technology used in smartphones, but the market for organic light-emitting diode displays is on the rise fast. Other companies are also increasingly turning to OLED displays for smartphones, tablets and smartwatches.
According to The Wall Street Journal, rival smartphone makers from Samsung to the Google division of U.S.-based Alphabet Inc. to China's Xiaomi Corp. have already moved from using conventional liquid-crystal displays to OLED screens. This is because they are thinner, lighter and allow for flexible designs. Previous reports said Apple will also release new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models with conventional LCD screens next year.
Apple's Supplier Confirms Plans to Shift To OLED Display
The American multi-national technology giant will possibly tap Samsung as its key OLED display supplier, but it wants LG Display, Japan Display and Sharp to increase production for 2018. Tai Jeng-wu, Sharp President, and CEO confirmed Apple's plans to shift to OLED technology last month.
