The iPhone 8, Apple's forthcoming flagship following the iPhone 7, which is believed to have an entirely different design given that it'll signal iPhone's 10th year anniversary, has long been rumored to rock an OLED display — the first time in iPhone history.
That rumor has now gained significantly more weight. Last April, Apple reportedly ordered 100 million OLED panels for the iPhone 8. It's apparently adding 60 million more, according to rumors.
Samsung Will Provide iPhone 8's Screen
This comes from a report by South Korean publication The Investor, which claims that Apple has already reached an agreement with Samsung's display division that'll see the South Korean electronics company cobble together a total of 160 million OLED panels for Apple's flagship device. The setup, while certainly odd, considering Samsung is Apple's competitor, is not new. It's only logical for the company to supply components to companies that need it, since Samsung dabbles beyond the smartphone alone — it makes processors, panels and a handful of other things, too.
The report further claims that while previous rumors suggest three size variants for iPhone 8, with the most premium model the one to rock an OLED panel, the added order could indicate that the other models may rock the display, too.
Samsung, A Leading OLED Panel Manufacturer
Samsung currently supplies 95 percent of all OLED displays globally, notes The Next Web. LG, another manufacturer of OLED displays, has also recently committed to ramping up production of the screens, aiming to shoulder Apple's OLED needs in the future.
Samsung uses its own OLED panels for nearly 70 percent of its products, including its flagship Galaxy S series, while Apple has so far only used LCDs for all iPhone versions up to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, getting its displays from LG Display, Sharp and Japan Display, according to The Investor.
Apple and Samsung, two of the biggest smartphone makers in the industry, will both use OLED panels for their newest flagship devices to be released this year, meaning rival phone manufacturers are expected to suffer a supply shortage given that there are few supplier alternatives.
iPhone 8 Rumors And Speculation
The iPhone 8 is expected to be far divorced from any iPhone design ever released, according to rumors. It will reportedly sport an all-glass design as well as a 5.2- to 5.8-inch OLED display, and feature wireless charging, among others. Rumors have also indicated that it will have nearly no bezels, and that the Touch ID functionality will somehow be integrated into the screen.
iPhone 8 Release Date And Pricing
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 8 this fall, if previous iPhone release patterns are any indication. Other details about the flagship in question remain nebulous, such as the placement of the front-facing camera and speaker — if indeed the screen will take up most of the front panel.
Apple currently only uses OLED panels for its smartwatches and the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar.
As for the price of the iPhone 8, rumors suggest it could break the $1,000 mark, which is unarguably steep, although unsurprising, given that a 256 GB iPhone 7 Plus already costs $969.
Thrilled for the iPhone 8? What features do you expect to see on Apple's forthcoming flagship? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
