New iPhone model with curved glass case, 5.8" AMOLED display due in 2017, insider says

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2016
Apple has plans to introduce a new high-end iPhone model in 2017 that sports a curved glass case and 5.8-inch AMOLED display, a radical departure from current-generation aluminum models.




In a note to investors obtained by AppleInsider, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the new iPhone's design is similar to that of the iPhone 4/4s "glass sandwich," but instead of flat slabs Apple will employ curved panels on both the device front and back. In another first, Apple turn to AMOLED technology to realize the new design paradigm.

The analyst believes Apple is looking to implement exotic materials to further differentiate iPhone from a sea of competitors. Kuo expects Apple to choose glass for its new case design as the material is easy to mold and boasts properties that facilitate thin-and-light form factor designs. Other options include plastic and ceramic.

On the inside, Apple's next-generation iPhone is expected to include wireless charging and new biometric recognition technology like face and iris scanning, presumably accomplished through a front-facing camera. Apple owns a number of patents covering secure facial recognition technology, including IP that relies on 3D rendering for increased levels of accuracy. Perhaps not coincidentally, the company recently acquired facial recognition specialist Emotient and real-time 3D rendering firm Faceshift.

It is unclear where the new unit will rank in Apple's iPhone lineup, but Kuo predicts two possible scenarios. The analyst believes Apple is likely to position the 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone model as a replacement for the current 5.5-inch TFT-LCD model, but if the company is unable to procure necessary AMOLED supply, the unit could launch as a top-end add-on to the 2017 iPhone line.

"If the supply of AMOLED panel 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," Kuo said.

Apple has for years been rumored to make the switch to AMOLED tech, but display manufacturers are simply not equipped to output supply for a product that sells hundreds of millions of units each year. Kuo himself said an AMOLED iPhone wouldn't arrive until 2019, at the earliest.

However, as a result of suppliers efforts to quickly build out their respective AMOLED production lines, there might be enough stock to accommodate the single high-end iPhone variant Kuo describes. A rumor last October claimed Apple was sampling OLED iPhone displays sourced from Samsung, for example.

The special model, thought to serve as a keystone in 2017's iPhone lineup, is expected to keep Apple in the running with competitors who use similarly exotic materials in their flagship smartphones. By launching next year, Apple will have fresh product on offer during the usual 'S' cycle refresh window, which normally brings internal buffs but little to no aesthetic change.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 74
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    A more breakable iPhone. Interesting.
  • Reply 2 of 74
    I know their time zone is ahead of us but I didn't know it was 6 days ahead of us. I'll believe that when me shit turns purple and smells like rainbow sherbet.  
    StimulatedBoyjahblade
  • Reply 3 of 74
    kent909kent909 Posts: 731member
    So we are just going to stop talking or speculating about the next iPhone and move on to the one after that. How about the iPhone 16 that will unfold into the driverless Apple car.
    bobschlobicoco3Sir_Turkeyjustadcomics1983jahbladelmagoo
  • Reply 4 of 74
    Noooooooooooooo!! Not another useless curved display. 
    StimulatedBoyireland
  • Reply 5 of 74
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    That means there's no design for this Fall...so, we'll see iPhone 6SS instead...interesting if Apple move to 3 years for new design.
    edited March 2016 lmagoo
  • Reply 6 of 74
    misamisa Posts: 827member
    There's that "curved glass" and "AMOLED" rumor that has been springing up every so often ever since Samsung did it.

    No... I don't think it's in apple's best interests

    StimulatedBoy
  • Reply 7 of 74
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Who cares? Phones are mature. What's lacking behind are the asinine telco pocket gouging w/ pissant data plans.
    lmagoo
  • Reply 8 of 74
    Personally, I don't love the curved glass aspect of my iPhone 6. I'm a screen protector user because inevitably I will do something to the phone that would likely scratch the screen. Screen protectors have saved me a few times. But the curved glass makes it harder to get a good fit edge to edge. And I don't love having a glass back either. It would be nice if the back had some grip for once. I'd love to be able to use an iPhone sans case without worrying about ruining it with one drop.
  • Reply 9 of 74
    So the charlatan known as Ming Cho Kuo issues a report about the iPhone & AMOLED displays that Kuo himself said previously wouldn't arrive until 2019 at the earliest and AI gives credence to his scrying & divinations because?
    ireland
  • Reply 10 of 74
    fallenjtfallenjt Posts: 4,053member
    Personally, I don't love the curved glass aspect of my iPhone 6. I'm a screen protector user because inevitably I will do something to the phone that would likely scratch the screen. Screen protectors have saved me a few times. But the curved glass makes it harder to get a good fit edge to edge. And I don't love having a glass back either. It would be nice if the back had some grip for once. I'd love to be able to use an iPhone sans case without worrying about ruining it with one drop.
    Did we see a lot of complaints about 4 and 4S? People were okay then. They should be okay now. 
    Apple may do back and front glass with side metal hump like current camera to protect it from the drop.
    wonkothesaneai46lolliverjahbladenolamacguy
  • Reply 11 of 74
    Actually, I have reliable information (I read it on the Internet) that the next iPhone will be called the iPhone IM, which stands for "implanted". It will be implanted under the skin of your forearm, and communicate to a pair of "retina" display units that will actually replace your own eye retinas. Likewise, small speakers will replace your own obsolete hearing apparatus. No need for charging, the phone will run on body heat.
    Sir_Turkeylatifbp
  • Reply 12 of 74
    Curved glass on the iPhone 6 has resulted in more cracked screens than previous models. Drop one on its corner and bam, whole screen shatters. Fragility isn't exactly a feature I'm interested in. 
    Sir_Turkeyireland
  • Reply 13 of 74
    macplusplusmacplusplus Posts: 2,112member
    Facial recognition and iris scanning? So we won't be able to use that phone while wearing glasses. Remove your glasses so the phone recognizes you and unlocks itself... Also can't be used in the dark... Kuo transcending himself...
    edited March 2016 wonkothesane
  • Reply 14 of 74
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Rumors are cool and all, but 2017 (probably late 2017, closer to 2018)? This is jumping the gun just a bit too much.

    The iPhone 7 hasn't even come out yet, and people are already talking about an iPhone 8 and what features it might supposedly have?

    Lame, in my opinion.
  • Reply 15 of 74
    levilevi Posts: 344member
    Would love to see something similar for the NBA or NFL
    fallenjt said:
    That means there's no design for this Fall...so, we'll see iPhone 6SS instead...interesting if Apple move to 3 years for new design.
    The rumored changes for iP7 seem fairly substantial - dual camera tech, thinner design (approx. 15-20%), no 3.5mm headphone jack, added speaker, fewer antenna lines. This is only what we know of. With the s models not getting the traction of years past, I wonder if Apple won't abandon that cycle completely, and instead focus on more substantial changes on a year by year basis. It seems the Plus models may evolve into a Pro model, with added features and more radical designs.
    jude2012
  • Reply 16 of 74
    felix01felix01 Posts: 294member
    Now that'll be enough to convince me it's time to retire my (perfectly functional) iPhone 5. And BTW, no problem upgrading to iOS 9.3 within a couple hours of the initial release. 
  • Reply 17 of 74
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    So he's predicting the 2017 iPhone will be a Galaxy S7 clone? Not buying it.
    revenantStimulatedBoy1983cnocbuinolamacguy
  • Reply 18 of 74
    monstrositymonstrosity Posts: 2,234member
    Perhaps a rumour started by Samsung who already sell a curved AMOLED phone. So they can say "hey, Apple are planning this in two years, and we already have it".
    In reality, Apple never goes that direction whatsoever because it turns out consumers hate it. I had a friend of mine switch from iPhone to the Samsung S7 last week. I told him he would regret it and come back to iPhone... 3 days later he took it back because he hated the screen,
    Sir_TurkeyStimulatedBoy
  • Reply 19 of 74
    hmlongcohmlongco Posts: 533member
    fallenjt said:

    Did we see a lot of complaints about 4 and 4S? People were okay then. They should be okay now. 
    Apple may do back and front glass with side metal hump like current camera to protect it from the drop.
    Actually, the 4 and 4S design was my favorite iPhone design to date. Not to mention the fact that we have better glass today than we did then. Today's glass is a lot more difficult to break, and it's definitely a lot harder to scratch than aluminum!

    A thinner 4S design with curved glass and, say, a Liquid Metal bumper all the way around the edge?

    Sign me up.

    Sir_Turkeybadmonkai46
  • Reply 20 of 74
    clemynxclemynx Posts: 1,552member
    Facial recognition and iris scanning? So we won't be able to use that phone while wearing glasses. Remove your glasses so the phone recognizes you and unlocks itself... Also can't be used in the dark... Kuo transcending himself...
    Iris scanning in the dark using infrared already exists. But yes, iris scanning is not a good idea in general. But part of a whole system it may work. 
    StimulatedBoy
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