14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is expected to announce three new iPhones this year, including a revolutionary iPhone Edition or iPhone 8, which will see a complete redesign and the introduction of new features. Rumors on the upcoming phone continue to surface, the most recent ones suggesting a flat display.
IHS SMarkit analyst Wayne Lam revealed for MacRumors that Apple “will adopt a flat implementation of OLED design on their special iPhone model, which is analogous to the current 2.5D glass design.” The analyst researches the supply chain of smartphone makers such as Apple.
“Much like the recently announced LG G6, we anticipate a touchscreen with a new longer aspect ratio design to take advantage of higher coverage area of the iPhone in its entirety. This new design language is expected to become the trend for 2017, as we all anticipate Samsung's reveal later this month,” he added.
2.5D cover glass and wireless charging
The G6 features a 5.7-inch LCD display with 2:1 aspect ratio, which means that the screen’s length is double the size of its width. The aspect ratio on iPhones is 16:9, and it seems that more and more companies are equipping their flagships with smaller bezels. Such is the case of the upcoming Galaxy S8, which will ditch the physical home screen for smaller top and bottom bezels, and thus offer more screen space.
The analyst is backed up by recent predictions from KGI Securities and TrendForce, which say that the anniversary iPhone will have a 2.5D cover glass. Such displays are slightly curved at the edges, similar to smartphones like the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus.
Some reports have said that the display will be curved, but there’s the possibility that this assumption was made based on the OLED display’s flexible properties. Nevertheless, Apple is said to be testing several prototypes of the upcoming iPhone Edition or iPhone 8. The phone is expected to come with wireless charging, premium materials and a dual-camera setup on the back, among other features.