There has long been an expectation that the next, high-end version of the iPhone would have a new type of screen called an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) . The screens boast more vivid colors, deeper blacks and improved battery life. OLED screens…
As the expected fall debut of Apple ’s new phones nears, rumors have taken hold about the new models, based off new reports from analysts and leaks from Apple’s supply chain.
As with all speculative reports, it’s best to take this information with a grain (or shaker) of salt. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Here’s a breakdown of what people are saying and what to make of it all:
Even more OLED: There has long been an expectation that the next, high-end version of the iPhone would have a new type of screen called an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) . The screens boast more vivid colors, deeper blacks and improved battery life. But they are also more difficult to produce, particularly at the levels that Apple requires.
New reports indicate that Apple will eventually move completely to OLED screens, starting with the 10th-anniversary iPhone. The company would then release three OLED models in the second half of 2018. These reports are based largely off an article from the Nikkei Asian Business Review, which cites unnamed sources in Apple’s Asian supply chain.
This would make some sense. There have been reports for years that Apple wants to switch. OLED screens are the standard on competitors, particularly those from Samsung — a top OLED screen manufacturer and an Apple supplier itself. The Nikkei report said that Apple has also invested in LG’s OLED manufacturing department, which indicates that the company is interested in finding ways to make the screens at an iPhone scale.
Touch ID: Apple is expected to ditch the home button in favor of an edge-to-edge screen. But that change would eliminate the location of the fingerprint reader. That’s led some to wonder whether Apple will move the reader, embed it in the screen or even get rid of it altogether.
Noted Apple analyst Ming Chi Kuo of KGI Securities wrote in a recent note that Apple won’ t put the fingerprint reader in the display — something many hoped the company would do to be more consistent with its current design. But the report didn’ t indicate where the reader may go.
Getting a bit more speculative, YouTube channel “EverythingApplePro” drew significant media attention when it posted a detailed metal-and-glass mock up of the premium iPhone, which it said was sent by a Chinese case maker. That dummy phone did not have a spot on the front of the phone for a fingerprint reader, though it did show a case with a cutout in the back of the phone, over the Apple logo. That could mean that, as on competing smartphones, the fingerprint reader could go there. Or the case may just be designed to show off the logo.
Still, it would be surprising to see Apple drop the fingerprint reader, particularly given how hard it has pushed Touch ID in recent years and how integral it has become to the phone for logging in and purchasing.
Facial recognition: With the possibility (and, again, it’s just a possibility) that Apple could ditch the fingerprint reader, that raises the question of what would replace it.
Facial recognition seems to be the top candidate. Previous reports have indicated the company is testing advanced facial recognition. A report from Bloomberg cited unnamed sources “familiar with the product” who said that facial recognition could be used to unlock phones, purchase goods and open secure apps. And TechCrunch spotted a patent that indicates Apple is working on technology that would use a phone’s camera to scan your face — even when the phone is asleep — to unlock the device.
The face scans rumored to be in development by Apple could be more consistent than fingerprint readers, which can act up when, for example, your fingers get wet. It also could be easier to use than a fingerprint — as described by TechCrunch, it would be a more seamless experience. Still, there are situations where it may not make as much sense to use a face scan — think particularly about the Check-Out line. Apple may have a practical solution, but scanning your face before a purchase sounds like more of a hassle than just holding your phone to a reader.
