iPhone 8’s curved OLED display to be made by Samsung

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iPhone 8 concept
Imagining the iPhone of the future.
Photo: Gabor Balogh

Apple’s “premium” iPhone 8 will offer an OLED display with curved glass similar to that used by Samsung, according to a new report out of Japan.

In fact, sources say the display will be manufactured exclusively by Apple’s South Korean rival, but its curves won’t be quite as pronounced as those found on the Galaxy S7 edge.

When Samsung launched its first curved glass smartphone, the Galaxy Note Edge, it was seen as a gimmick that very few consumers would pay a premium for. But in recent years, curved devices — particularly those carrying the Galaxy moniker — have sold like hot cakes.

Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge actually outsold the smaller, more affordable Galaxy S7 with its flat front. It was so popular when it made its debut last spring that Samsung was forced to increase production to meet consumer demand.

Now Apple wants a slice of that pie. The company is expected to adopt Samsung’s curved displays for its high-end iPhone 8, which will offer a larger display that uses OLED technology as opposed to the LCD panels Apple has been employing for the past decade.

Sources “familiar with the design” of the iPhone 8, who have been speaking to Nikkei Asian Review, claim that Apple’s new OLED display will have a “viewable area” of around 5.2 inches that extends to the edges of the device to make the iPhone look even sleeker.

The report adds that the display will not offer “significant new functions,” which seems to rule out the mini Touch Bar that was rumored to replace the iPhone’s physical Home button. However, it notes “the design has not been finalized and could still change.”

Alongside this premium OLED iPhone 8, Apple is expected to introduce new 4.7- and 5.5-inch devices that use LCD displays and flat cover glass.

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