This article was published on March 6, 2017

Apple may switch to OLED with a big 5.8-inch screen on iPhone 8 – but it’ll cost a lot


Apple may switch to OLED with a big 5.8-inch screen on iPhone 8 – but it’ll cost a lot Image by: Moe Slah / Behance

It seems Apple might finally be making the switch to OLED panels with the upcoming iPhone 8. Japanese outlet Nikkei Asian Review reports that – in addition to two LCD-equipped variants – the Cupertino behemoth will also put out a premium iPhone model with a large OLED screen.

Backing up previous speculation, the report suggests the primo handset will likely sport a 5.8-inch curved display with very little bezel. In comparison, the lower-end models are expected to come with a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch panels respectively.

In light of recent rumors hinting the Big A could be scheming to introduce a brand new Touch Bar-style function area in favor of Touch ID, Apple will likely spare a certain part of the screen to accommodate the new feature. Still, you can expect at least 5.15-inch of usable screen space.

While Nikkei makes no mention of potential partners to build the panels, Apple was previously said to have struck a deal with Samsung that will see the South Korean phone-maker manufacture 160 million OLED panels for the new iPhone.

The 💜 of EU tech

The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!

The new additions are intended to hike the price of the next-generation iPhone, with earlier reports speculating the final price could surpass the $1,000 mark.

Among other things, the next-gen handset is slated to land in three different models that will likely all diverge radically from previous models as far as design goes. Unfortunately, we’ll likely have to wait a few more years before the iPhone finally swaps out the proprietary Lightning connector with USB-C.

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Also tagged with