A week after Ming-Chi Kuo said that there will be two iPhone X successors in 2018, the famed Apple analyst revealed that there will actually be three iPhone models next year.
Kuo remained right that Apple will follow up the iPhone X with two OLED smartphones next year. The third iPhone, on the other hand, is something new altogether.
Three iPhone Models In 2018
Kuo's earlier note, in addition to various rumors, hinted that there will be an upgraded iPhone X and a larger model that is being referred to as the iPhone X Plus. The two models are said to be coming with more complex construction, so they might look different from the iPhone X now.
A new note by Kuo confirmed that there will be two iPhones with OLED displays next year, and they will feature 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch screens. However, Kuo added that there will be a third iPhone model that will also have the bezel-less design introduced in the iPhone X. This third model is vastly different, though, as instead of OLED, it will have a 6.1-inch LCD screen with lower resolution.
Kuo said that all three models will come with the TrueDepth camera system that enables the Face ID facial recognition feature. Unfortunately, all of them are also expected to have the unsightly iPhone X notch, but thankfully, there is already an app to fix that.
The LCD iPhone X will target the low-end and mid-range markets, Kuo said, and it will carry a starting price tag of between $649 and $749 in the United States. The research note, however, did not provide price estimates for the two OLED iPhones that will be released next year.
Why Go Full iPhone X?
If what Kuo wrote is true and his track record certainly makes him a reliable source, Apple is apparently going full iPhone X with its flagship product and will ditch the form factor that it has used for the iPhone for the past several years.
It is easy to see why, though. In a separate note, Kuo said that all the demand for iPhones has shifted to the iPhone X. The shift has been so drastic that Apple will reduce iPhone 8 production by between 50 percent and 60 percent from the fourth quarter this year to the first quarter next year.
It appears that customers are really drawn to the iPhone X design, and Apple is moving forward with the bezel-less look for future iPhone models. The iPhone X may have its flaws such as controversies surrounding Face ID security, but it looks like it is here to stay.
