iPhone 8 Tipped to Feature Flat OLED Display With 2.5D Curved Glass

iPhone 8, or iPhone X, is anticipated to be the top-end smartphone model launched by Apple in 2017 - the year the Cupertino giant commemorates the tenth anniversary of the iPhone. Alongside, the company is expected to launch the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, with more standard features and specifications. While several previous reports had tipped the use of a curved OLED display on the iPhone 8, a new report indicates Apple will go with a flat implementation instead. In the meanwhile, a report also claims the iPhone 8 will affect the Samsung Galaxy S8's sales.

Citing IHS Markit analyst Wayne Lam, MacRumors reports that Apple will use a regular OLED display with a 2.5D curved glass design - something seen on Apple smartphones since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014. Lam adds that the company may also adopt a display aspect ratio similar to the LG G6's 18:9, a design decision Samsung has reportedly also taken with the Galaxy S8 that's due to be launched later this month.

Apple iPhone 8 Specifications, Release Date, and More - Leaks and Rumours So Far

"We anticipate Apple will adopt a flat implementation of OLED design on their special iPhone model, which is analogous to the current 2.5D glass design... Much like the recently announced LG G6, we anticipate a touchscreen with a new longer aspect ratio design to take advantage of higher coverage area of the iPhone in its entirety. This new design language is expected to become the trend for 2017, as we all anticipate Samsung's reveal later this month," Lam is quoted to say.

As for Apple's reasons to go with a flat OLED display design on the iPhone 8, the report cites DisplayMate's Raymond Soneira to claim glass substrates used in flat OLED displays is significantly cheaper and available in higher production volumes than the flexible plastic used in curved OLED displays. He echoes Lam to claim Apple is likely to use the 2.5D curved glass design on a flat OLED display.

To recall, previous reports indicate the iPhone 8 will sport a 5.8-inch OLED display with little-to-no bezel, while the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are said to come with more traditional LCD displays in the same screen sizes as previous generations. Other rumours speak about the inclusion of wireless charging technology, USB-C based fast charging, enhanced Touch ID and 3D Touch, facial recognition and other augmented reality features, an all-glass back, and even the removal of the Home Button for a display integrated fingerprint scanner.

A recent rumour also claims the premium iPhone 8 model may just be called the iPhone Edition, similar to the nomenclature used for the Apple Watch Edition.

Finally, we come to a report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has had a near flawless record for Apple leaks. In his latest investor note, he claims that that the iPhone 8 will affect the sales of the Samsung Galaxy S8, which does not have "sufficiently attractive selling points". He says Samsung is expected to ship about 40 to 45 million units of the Galaxy S8 in 2017, less than the Galaxy S7, which in part is attributable to the one-month difference in sale period.