Tech giant Apple is expected to release the latest edition of its flagship smartphone the iPhone 8 later this year. The device is expected to feature major upgrades over the current iPhone 7 however the biggest of these may just have been confirmed.
A report from Asian news outlet Nikkei says that Apple has placed an order for 70 million “bendable” OLED displays from Samsung that are going to be used in the upcoming device. This means that we should expect iPhone 8 to feature a curved edge OLED display similar to what we see on flagship Samsung smartphones.
The news, which is credited to a supply chain source familiar with iPhone designs, falls in line with an estimate by David Hsieh, senior director at research company IHS Markit.
“Apple has ordered 70 million units of OLED panels from Samsung this year, while Samsung is preparing to churn out as many as 95 million for Apple in 2017, in case demand exceeds expectations,” Hsieh said
Samsung, which also happens to be Apple biggest competitor in the smartphone market, will be the sole supplier of OLED screens for the iPhone 8. The news also confirms a much-needed move for Apple to the more advanced OLED screens compared to its outdated IPS displays.
The leak also reiterates earlier rumours that the Cupertino giant would be releasing a special edition iPhone to mark its 10 anniversary. In addition to a curved display, the new device is also expected to feature a bezel-less design and do away with the physical home key, similar to what we saw on the Galaxy S8.
