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The next smartphone from Apple, dubbed the iPhone 9, is rumored to sport the same edge-to-edge screen design as seen on the iPhone X. However, the upcoming device is expected to sport an LCD panel so it can be offered at a more budget-friendly price.
Apple celebrated the iPhone line’s 10th anniversary in 2017 with the launch of the iPhone X — pronounced as “ten” and not “x.” And as a celebratory smartphone release, it sported the first-ever edge-to-edge screen design from the iPhone maker. The company needed to use OLED panels to make it happen, which brought the price of the iPhone X up.
Since the edge-to-edge screen with notch design was obviously a hit, there is no turning back now for Apple. So it was not totally surprising when acclaimed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported (via 9To5Mac) that the Cupertino, California tech giant is working on retaining the said design for the iPhone 9.
However, at the end of the day, Apple needs to sell as many iPhone 9 units as possible. And a hefty price tag such as the one that iPhone X carries could be restricting many potential buyers around the world. Luckily, Apple found a way to use a much cheaper LCD panel on an edge-to-edge smartphone screen design.
The rumored LCD-clad iPhone 9 will reportedly sport a 6.1-inch screen. Meanwhile, Kuo also speculated that Apple will release two other iPhones this year with OLED panels and will have displays that measure 5.8 inches and 6.5 inches.
Meanwhile, a report from DigiTimes also explained how Apple managed to make an edge-to-edge screen without the more flexible OLED panel on the iPhone 9. The company has reportedly entered a deal with the Japanese manufacturer Nichia, which will supply Apple with 0.3t LED chips. These components enable Apple to make backlights with thinner 2.0 to 2.5 mm bottom bezels compared to the 4.0 to 4.5 mm measurement achieved with the typical 0.4t LED chips.
Since Apple has already made arrangements for the iPhone 9, the company is likely to maintain its annual release schedule of new smartphones. With that, the world might be seeing new iPhones by September.
