Apple’s next iPhone could have a curved screen

The iPhone-8-release-Apple-Samsung-Galaxy-S8-Google-Pixel-Phone-iPhone-7″>reports of major changes in iPhone 8 come at a time when the Tim Cook-led company has been experiencing a decline in the sales of iPhones over the past several quarters.

But Apple is pushing the other three to gear up to supply OLED iPhone screens as soon as 2018.

An OLED screen allows flexible design because it is lighter, thinner, and does not need a backlight component to brighten the screen. However, The Wall Street Journal suggests that Apple may want something to distinguish its panels from Samsung’s, suggesting that the Cupertino-based company is asking suppliers to deliver panels “with better resolution than ones from Samsung to differentiate its models”. Other smartphone makers including LG also boast devices with a curved display.

There are some complications with Apple using OLEDs though. It is common practice for companies like Apple to use multiple suppliers for the same component to ensure that its production plans can not be disrupted by a single supplier. Samsung has been a leader in OLED displays, first incorporating the technology into its Galaxy S smartphone in 2010. Interestingly, Japan Display is also investing in advanced LCD panels known as “Full Active”. Instead, it reportedly prefers that its suppliers work to produce better quality panels and then choose a possible victor later. Rumors suggest that the company is building a completely new smartphone to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Steve Jobs’ original iPhone in September next year.

It’s worth noting again that Apple is said to be prototyping this curved display, so it’s possible that the next iPhone won’t have a curved display.

Apple said Sunday that it will replace the batteries of iPhone 6s models that are unexpectedly shutting down. The report points out LG Innotek’s 3D dual rear camera module could be used in Apple’s new products starting as early as latter half of 2017. Meanwhile, LG has also developed its own 3D photography technology. This is because OLED availability is limited worldwide; however, if it does go ahead and use the tech, it will be able to embed technologies such as a fingerprint sensor and a Facetime camera within it.

An image of Apple’s current flagship, the iPhone 7. LinX developed technology that can capture multiple photos at the same time along with algorithms to determine the depth for the objective of creating 3D image maps. Well, it there are quite a few areas where the iPhone can be improved, but if there’s one area where it has not improved for the last 3 years, it is the screen technology. But it seems like the radical iPhone redesign expected in 2017 should mitigate those concerns.