Rumors of an OLED iPhone 8 keep intensifying and the latest report now claims the smartphone will be curved on all sides, possibly with new sensing technology.
Earlier speculation already indicated that Apple planned to release one high-end iPhone 8 version with a curved OLED display, and two other models with more iterative upgrades rather than groundbreaking new features.
OLED iPhone 8 Curved On All Sides
The latest report out of Korea now adds a bit more details to the claim. The Korea Herald reports that Apple's upcoming OLED iPhone 8 will be curved on all sides, which in turn suggests that instead of a nearly bezel-free experience, the edges will be curved toward the back, on par with the current "waterfall" trend.
"The OLED version of the new iPhone will all be curved as Apple ordered all plastic OLED - not glass - from Samsung Display," the Korea Herald reports, citing a source with knowledge of the matter.
The source further said that Samsung can supply just "a little less" than 100 million curved OLED displays to Apple.
On the other hand, Apple is also rumored to be working with LG Display to get foldable OLED panels for smartphones, albeit the previous report said LG Display would start mass production in 2018.
The Korea Herald, meanwhile, notes that Samsung Display could only supply roughly 70 million to 100 million units of curved OLED displays to Apple, which would amount to less than half the annual iPhone sales. Apple typically sells roughly 200 million iPhone units per year, so the company might get the rest of the OLED panels from LG Display, as previously rumored.
However, it still remains uncertain whether just one iPhone 8 model will have a curved OLED screen. The Korea Herald says that other iPhone models will use flat panels with liquid crystal displays from JDI and LG Display, but it remains to be seen which rumors turn out to be accurate.
Plastic OLED And Foldable Smartphones
The Korea Herald mentions plastic OLED, which means that Apple ordered panels with a plastic substrate instead of glass, allowing for extra flexibility. The publication says the next-generation iPhone will not be foldable, but Apple may be looking to set it apart from the crowd (read: Samsung's Galaxy rivals) by employing new sensing technologies.
"The upcoming iPhone may use new sensing technology, which enables the phone to respond when users touch any side of the device. But, Apple may not adopt this technology," a source further told the Korea Herald.
It's also worth pointing out that Apple may be looking to set itself apart with an OLED iPhone curved on all sides, but Samsung is also rumored to be working on an all-screen, nearly bezel-less Galaxy S8 with no physical home button.
With nothing officially confirmed so far, however, take all reports and speculaton with a hefty grain of salt.
