iPhone 7 Rumors Suggest a 5.8-Inch AMOLED Display and Curved Glass Casing

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Rumors have been swirling, for a while now, about a purported 5.8-inch iPhone — perhaps even sporting a curved glass and AMOLED display. And once again, so it seems, we’re catching wind of another round of reports to that affect — which are supported, at least to a certain extent, by the falling price of AMOLED display production.

Well-connected and historically accurate KGI Securities analyst, Ming Chi Kuo, in a recent note to investors, indicated that the 5.8-inch iPhone’s design is poised to be similar to that of the iPhone 4/4s glass and aluminum brick-type structure. However, he added, as opposed to the flat slabs of glass, Apple plans to employ curved glass panels on both the front and back of the device.

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Additionally, in a claim bolstered by both previous rumors and current trends in the display manufacturing industry, Kuo added that the forthcoming device will feature AMOLED display technology.

Kuo also believes that Apple is exploring the possibility of implementing certain exotic materials that would even further differentiate the iPhone from an ever-growing field of competitors. He expects Apple to go with glass as its new case design, however, as the material is both easy to mold, and boasts properties that are conductive of a thin-and-light form factor.

He also notes that Apple’s next-generation iPhone is expected to include wireless charging and new biometric recognition technology — such as facial and eye scanning. These rumors are perhaps a bit more realistic, as Apple currently owns a number of patents covering secure facial recognition technology. Also, though perhaps not coincidentally, the Silicon Valley tech-giant recently acquired both facial recognition specialist Emotient, as well as the real-time, 3D rendering firm, Faceshift, just last year.

Insofar as where the “5.8-inch” AMOLED display comes into play, Kuo believes there are two potential scenarios. One of which is that Apple could potentially push the 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone model as a replacement for the current 5.5-inch TFT-LCD model. However, as he also notes, if the Cupertino-company is unable to drum up the necessary AMOLED supply, the 5.8-inch unit could simply launch as a top-tier, alternative option in Apple’s 2017 iPhone line-up.

According to Kuo, “If the supply of AMOLED panels is sufficient, we believe it is more likely that the first scenario will happen, in which case a 5.8-inch AMOLED model will entirely replace the 5.5-inch TFT-LCD iPhone.”

And this could very well end up being the case, too, as current developments in the business of display manufacturing point to a downward trend in the price of producing both AMOLED and LCD panels.

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For instance, market research firm, IHS Technology, has gone on record alleging that production costs of both AMOLED and LCD panels have fallen to $14.30 and $14.60 per unit, respectively, in the first quarter of 2016 — this based on the cost of a single, 5-inch Full-HD panel. Additionally, in the fourth quarter of last year, prices have fallen from $17.10 (for AMOLED) and $15.70 (for LCD). So, in light of these persistent downward trends, it doesn’t seem like a very “far-out” possibility that AMOLED panels could soon begin replacing LCD panels — not just on high-end smartphones, either, but on select mid-range and low-end models, as well.

Kuo, himself, was the one who originally suggested that Apple wouldn’t make the switch to AMOLED display technology until 2019, at the earliest — primarily because most display manufacturers simply don’t have the tools necessary to accommodate the demand of a device, like Apple’s iPhone, that sells many, many millions of units per year.

However, in light of these aforementioned trends in display manufacturing — namely, the continual decline in costs of individual panels, it’s certainly not unlikely that we might see Apple switch to AMOLED sooner rather than later. And, of course, if that turns out to be the case, we only expect the rumor mill to keep on churning as we progress into the future.

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How does the idea of a 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone sound to you? Let us know in the comments below!

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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