The iPhone 7 (and/ or iPhone 6S) continues to be the focus of rumors, but this year has brought about a new twist on those rumors. Now there are quite a few rumors about the models that will come after this year’s or next year’s iPhones.
Bendable screen coming post-iPhone 7?
We’ve been hearing rumors that Apple will include a bendable, curved display on the iPhone for the last couple of years. This time the sources of those rumors are getting a little more creative and probably more realistic as well, since they’re claiming that it won’t be the iPhone 6S this year or next year’s iPhone 7 that will have such a display.
Instead, they’re saying that it will be at least 2018 before the bendable, curved display makes it into the iPhone. Similarly, there are rumors suggesting that it will be the iPhone model after the iPhone 7 which will feature an embedded home button rather than a physical one.
Business Korea reports that its sources claim Apple will introduce a bendable display in the 2018 iPhone model. The website states that Apple wants to transition to a flexible OLED-based display because it will solve issues like brightness and color accuracy and saturation.
LG to expand OLED screen production
Further, the company expects to create an even bigger market for the iPhone because it has yet to incorporate the technology in the device. Apple currently uses the technology in the Apple Watch, and Samsung and LG Display supply the flexible OLED displays for the smartwatch.
LG is expected to change over one of its production lines to an OLED line so that it can manufacture more of the flexible displays. The company reportedly expects to be able to mass produce them by next year some time.
Patents back up the flexible display suggestion
The Telegraph points out that Apple has received multiple patents for flexible displays and, earlier this year, one for a “flexible electronic device.” Making the iPhone bendable would prevent the issues reported under the so-called “Bendgate” fiasco. Owners of the iPhone 6 Plus complained that the device bent while riding around in their pockets all day. Making the device bendable would prevent any damage from this issue.
