Apple apparently wants to bend it like Samsung. If a new report is to be believed, the "premium" variant of the upcoming "iPhone 8" will feature a curved screen in some way.
The report from Nikkei Asian Review said that the Cupertino tech giant has ordered as many as 70 million OLED screens from Samsung, which has already introduced high-end smartphones with curved displays. The size of the order suggests that Apple is expecting yet another record-breaking sales figure for the iPhone 8, which will be launched later this year.
"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," David Hsieh, senior director at research company IHS Markit, told the publication. "It is also possible that some of these 70 million handsets will not be shipped to customers this year and be carried over to next year depending on demand."
The report reiterated previous rumors that Apple will be launching three variants of the iPhone 8. The premium model with a price tag of over $1,000 could feature a slightly curved OLED screen measuring 5.2 inches while the other two models could sport the existing liquid crystal display measuring 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, respectively.
But why is Apple still depending on its arch rival for iPhone's display? According to a report provided by research firm IHS, Samsung accounts for about 99 percent market share of the global smartphone OLED market, which makes it an obvious choice.
While it's not clear whether Apple will indeed launch a curved iPhone 8 in 2017, the company does have a related patent that was granted to it by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) last year.
The primary design highlighted in the patent filing showed a smooth curve from the front of the display to the back. However, there were other examples as well suggesting what the device could look like.
The next three iPhone variants are also expected to come with wireless charging and are likely to be waterproof. In addition, at least one iPhone 7 model could also feature a 3-D sensor for facial recognition capabilities while the premium version will have a virtual home button replacing the physical one.
