Yield Issues Force Apple Inc. To Ditch Curved Display On iPhone 8 [REPORT]

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Apple’s 10th-anniversary smartphone is certainly the most anticipated device of 2017. The intense hype around the so-called iPhone 8 has pushed Apple and Foxconn shares to a record high. Until recently, there were rumors that the iPhone 8 would feature a curved OLED display. In fact, Apple was testing curved screens for the 10th anniversary iPhone. But the company has dropped the idea, according to a new report.

iPhone 8 to feature a 2.5D glass

Supply chain sources familiar with the matter told Chinese research firm TrendForce that Apple is finally making the switch from LCD to OLED panels. But the display won’t wrap around the sides. The iPhone 8 would have the same 2.5D flat glass as the iPhone 7. Apple rejected the curved display due to low production yields and poor drop-test results.

Confirming previous reports, TrendForce said Apple would get rid of the physical home button to make room for more screen. Despite its 5.8-inch display, the iPhone 8 would be the same size as the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, thanks to extremely thin bezels. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently told investors that the Touch ID fingerprint sensor would be replaced by a “function area” at the bottom of the screen. It would bring down the actual active display area to 5.15-inch.

iPhone 8 coming in 64GB and 256GB storage options

Sources told TrendForce that the iPhone 8 would come with two different storage options: 64GB and 256GB. The current iPhone 7 has base storage of only 32GB. With rising quality of photos and videos, 32GB may not be sufficient for most users. But limiting the choice to only 64GB and 256GB could significantly increase the cost of the phone.

The iPhone 8 is said to have 3GB RAM, the same as the current iPhone 7 Plus. TrendForce added that the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus would have the same 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens as their predecessors. The iterative upgrades would pack 2GB and 3GB RAM, respectively. Also, they will ship in the same storage options as the current flagship models.

Apple to produce 40 million iPhone 8 units in 2017

Corroborating recent rumors, TrendForce reports that the 10th anniversary iPhone would cost $1,000 or “even higher.” It is unclear whether both the 64GB and 256GB would be priced above $1,000 or only one of them. New features such as the 3D laser sensor, OLED display, wireless charging, and improved waterproofing would push up the production cost of the device. The research firm points out that the iPhone 7S would be more competitively priced as Apple seeks to “make significant differentiation” between the 4.7-inch handset and the other two models.

Sources told TrendForce that Apple was planning to produce 100 million units of the next-gen iPhones by the end of 2017. Of that, 40 million units will be the 10th anniversary iPhone 8. Overall, the company is estimated to sell 230 million iPhones this year.

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