With Apple working on a revolutionary iPhone 8 to be released in 2017, it has been increasingly suggested that OLED technology will be utilized in this next generation handset. And there now seems concrete reason to believe that OLED will indeed turn up in the iPhone 8.
Previously it had been reported that both Samsung and LG were competing over a supply contract for the OLED display to be utilized in a future iPhone releases. But it is now suggested in a report emanating from China that Apple has decided to partner with LG Display for a foldable OLED panel. LG Display will also link up with Google and Microsoft, according to the report from etnews, with what is described by sources close to Apple as ‘out-foldable’ OLED displays.
Samsung and LG have both made huge investments in flexible displays already, with a report from Korea noting that the two native corporations have spent $11.6 billion on developing flexible screens in 2016. There is no doubt that Samsung would love to land this deal with its biggest rival, but it seems that Apple is thinking strategically with regard to its customers future.
Apple gamble
This could be viewed as a slight gamble from the consumer electronics giant. Although there are obvious reasons why Apple would wish to avoid providing Samsung with such a massive and significant contract, it is nonetheless indisputable that the Korean firm is well placed to deliver such an order. Only months ago it was estimated that Samsung currently produces around 95 percent of small and medium OLED displays in the contemporary marketplace.
But LG has been working diligently to develop technology, and has recently demonstrated flexible and affordable display prototypes. It seems that Apple has been swayed by the development that LG has achieved, and it seems that we will now see a major collaboration between the two technology giants.
Display technology will be extremely important for the iPhone range in 2017, not least because Apple has rather lagged behind its competitors in this area in recent years. Other smartphones possess significantly better screens than the recent iPhone 7, and it is generally considered that OLED is also superior to the LCD technology utilized in the iPhone series. There is certainly pressure on Apple to both increase the resolution of the display in the iPhone 8, and to keep up with technological innovations such as curved screens.
Aside from this, Apple will also be keen to acknowledge the tenth anniversary of the iPhone range with an outstanding iPhone 8 release. The Californian corporation has been accused of producing conservative iPhone devices in the last few years, and Apple would love to escape from this undesired image and deliver a truly outstanding iPhone 8. It is this above all else that is prompting the recent reports of OLED being included in the iPhone 8, as it seems the right time for Apple to make such a major design decision.
iPhone 8 – Consumer choice
In its Apple Watch range, Apple has shown the importance it is placing now on consumer choice, and this is also likely to be reflected in the iPhone 8. Indeed, an article in the Wall Street Journal has already suggested that there will be multiple iPhone 8 models available at release. A curved screen version of the classic iPhone design is thought to be one of these models, but Apple could also diverge into more specification choices than have been the case in previous generations.
Home button
Another design innovation that is absolutely expected when the iPhone 8 releases is the termination of the Home button. This has been linked with the iPhone series for some years, but Apple is finally expected to pull the trigger in the iPhone 8 generation. The Home button will instead be replaced by touchscreen technology.
Wireless charging
Apple is also being linked with a revolutionary form of wireless charging technology, which would enable the iPhone 8 to be charged at a distance of 15 feet. This would be a very welcome innovation for iPhone 8 consumers.
Dual-lens cameras
Apple is also expected to integrate a dual-lens cameras in all models of the iPhone 8 for the first time. Such technology has already been utilized in the iPhone series, but not in every device contained within the range.
Additionally, the Apple hierarchy has talked up the features that will be included in the double-camera set up in 2017, with 3D and augmented reality high on the list of technology. Tim Cook has spoken about the ability of future tech to place actual objects in your real-world view, indicating that this will be even more important than virtual reality.
Whether or not this will be quite ready for the iPhone 8 remains to be seen, but it is possible that the next generation Apple mobile will feature a dual-lens camera with the ability to scan the world around users and overlay 3D objects onto this with extremely high accuracy.
Shifting marketplace
Although Apple remains by some distance the dominant player in the smartphone marketplace, it is on top of a niche that is rapidly evolving. There is clear evidence that growth in the total smartphone marketplace is receding significantly, and the market is also becoming more complex, with new entrants beginning to gain a significant market share.
If Apple wishes for the iPhone 8 to be the sort of success that it has enjoyed with previous releases, the corporation knows that it must deliver something that makes the iPhone truly stand out from competitors. While the Californian company can always rely on unrivalled brand recognition and loyalty, this cannot sustain iPhone sales indefinitely if Apple isn’t able to demonstrate to consumers that the smartphone is moving forwards.
It seems that this reality will play a major role in the way that the iPhone 8 turns out, and there are already exciting whispers emerging for fans of the iPhone range.
