Sources Suggest Apple May Use New Screen Technology for iPhone 7

Sources suggest the next iPhone could include an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) display,  which could lead to numerous, futuristic, advancements to the iPhone lineup.

This curiosity came as Apple recently added Samsung displays to its Apple Watch supply chain, according to Korean ET News via DigiTimes. Samsung is currently attempting to convince Apple to use OLED displays for use in the next iPhone. The report from the Korean news organization says that Apple will make a decision this month.

OLED screens have seen a vast improvement in image quality and color accuracy since 2013. They also have several advantages, such as having perfect black levels (which improves contrast ratio) and they don’t need a backlight. That will help Apple make thinner iPhones. According to LG’s website, OLED screens have a wide gamut of accurate color, and with a black background, colors look more vibrant and detailed.

Janice Mahon, the VP of Technology Commercialization for Universal Display Corp., was quoted saying: “This technology, I believe, is really going to change how we use displays dramatically. We’ll see foldable displays, we’ll see smartphones that go back to clamshells opening up to a full sized screen…wearables like wrist based displays, and devices integrated into clothing, shirt cuffs, and backpacks”.

A curved display might come to the iPhone 8 instead, according to an article by Nicole Arce from Tech Times. To quote the article, “The sources also say LG Display, which is one of Apple’s suppliers for the OLED displays used in the Apple Watch, is preparing to have one of its manufacturing facilities in Gumi shift from an LCD line to an OLED line”.

The source claims that, “It’s very likely that the first flexible iPhone may be introduced in 2018, as Apple’s top-tier display suppliers are working on it.” It’s no surprise that Apple would want to improve their displays as older LCD technology has been around for decades.

The advantages for the OLED are apparent, but LCDs are still cheaper to build and the manufacturing infrastructure is already in place. Should Apple introduce these new screens to the next iPhone, it will open up new possibilities for Apple users, and that is never a bad thing.