iPhone Not Yet on Sale Already Cloned by China
Apple’s plans to introduce a 20th-anniversary iPhone edition in 2027 have been unveiled. The device is touted to feature a revolutionary design with a full screen without bezels that curves on all sides.
Based on information from China’s supply chain, Apple is partnering with Samsung to develop a special OLED panel with micro-curved technology that is thinner and brighter than previous generations. The design is said to use very subtle curves on all four sides of the screen, differing from the extreme “waterfall” models currently used by several Chinese smartphone manufacturers.
This move by Apple is seen as a signal of the future direction for iPhone design, while also reinforcing the industry trend towards bezel-less devices and screens without holes.
Additionally, Apple is reportedly adopting Samsung’s COE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) display technology. This technology eliminates the polariser layer on OLED panels, making the screen thinner, more power-efficient, and with higher brightness levels.
On the other hand, this approach has already been explored by several Chinese vendors in various forms of screen innovations, leading to the perception that the technology Apple is developing is not entirely new to the industry.
If Chinese vendors move quickly enough, they have the potential to surpass the Cupertino-based company in the race to introduce such screen designs. Apple is also reportedly developing a new light diffusion layer to even out screen illumination, as well as improving anti-reflective technology to address light reflections due to the absence of the polariser layer.
To complement this futuristic design, Apple aims for the 2027 iPhone to be a full-glass device without screen cutouts. However, the full realisation of this design still depends on the readiness of under-display camera and Face ID technology.
Display analysts suggest that the under-display Face ID feature may not be ready by 2027. Nevertheless, several technology leakers believe Apple still has a chance to achieve it, at least with a combination of a small hole camera on the front.
The latest rumours also indicate that Apple is still testing an under-display front camera for the 2027 iPhone, so the feature remains a possibility.