Following multiple reports claiming Apple will release its first OLED-based iPhone as early as 2017, DigiTimes Researchsays that Apple manufacturer Foxconn will develop AMOLED displays through its recent investment in troubled Japanese electronics maker Sharp.
Sharp will set up one 4.5G and two 6G AMOLED production lines with monthly capacity of 13,000, 11,500 and 34,500 glass substrates respectively, with total monthly capacity of 9.85 million 5.5-inch equivalent panels.
Given its longstanding relationship with Apple, the move could position Foxconn as a frontrunner among AMOLED display suppliers for iPhones. Recent reports said Apple was closing in on deals with Samsung and LG, while AU Optronics and Japan Display are also rumored candidates for orders in 2017 or 2018.
AU Optronics, Japan Display, LG, and Sharp have all supplied Apple with LCD displays for current or previous iPhones.
Last month, oft-reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple is planning an all-new iPhone featuring a curved 5.8-inch AMOLED display for debut in 2017. Kuo noted that, if supplies are sufficient, Apple would launch a 4.7-inch LCD-based iPhone paired with the new 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone as a Plus-sized model.
While some have expressed skepticism about Apple releasing a larger 5.8-inch iPhone, one possibility is that the screen wraps around the sides of the device akin to Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge. Apple holds patents for wraparound screens, and the design lines up nicely when applied to the height of a 5.5-inch iPhone.
Rumors suggest that the iPhone 7 series will have iterative designs compared to the current iPhone 6s lineup, meaning that Apple is likely saving its major design change for 2017. Nevertheless, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will likely have many notable differences, headlined by the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack.
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
Apple today announced refreshed 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models, now featuring the M4 chip, an upgraded camera, and a new "Sky Blue" color option.
"Sky Blue" is an all-new blue finish that joins Midnight, Starlight, and Silver. Apple describes it as a "beautiful, metallic light blue that creates a dynamic gradient when light reflects off of its surface." Space Gray is no longer available. ...
Apple today announced the 11th-generation iPad, now featuring the A16 chip and more storage.
The announcement came alongside the debut of the new iPad Air, which now features the M3 chip. From Apple's press release:
The A16 chip provides a jump in performance for everyday tasks and experiences in iPadOS, while still providing all-day battery life. Compared to the previous generation, the...
Apple today introduced new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models with the M3 chip, along with an updated Magic Keyboard for the device.
With the M3 chip, the new iPad Air should offer up to 20% faster performance compared to the previous-generation model with the M2 chip, which was released in May 2024. In addition, the M3 chip brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing to the iPad Air for the...
The upcoming iOS 18.4 update for the iPhone includes two smaller but meaningful improvements for Apple's in-car iPhone mirroring system CarPlay.
First, CarPlay now shows a third row of icons, up from two rows previously. However, this change is only visible in vehicles with a larger center display. For example, a MacRumors Forums member noticed the change in a Toyota Tundra with a 14-inch...
Wednesday March 5, 2025 11:29 am PST by Joe Rossignol
The new MacBook Air has a useful upgrade: it natively supports up to two external displays, in addition to the laptop's built-in display.
In other words, the latest MacBook Air can be used with a pair of external displays without needing to keep the laptop's lid closed.
Apple's tech specs for the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air:Simultaneously supports full native resolution on the...
Wednesday March 5, 2025 6:01 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today announced that it has updated the Mac Studio with M4 Max and M3 Ultra chip options, Thunderbolt 5 ports, and more.
The M4 Max chip was already released last year in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. It can be configured with up to a 16-core CPU, up to a 40-core GPU, and up to 128GB of unified RAM. Geekbench 6 benchmark results indicate that the M4 Max is up to 75% faster than...
Wednesday March 5, 2025 1:47 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple today updated the MacBook Air with the M4 chip, and the laptop is also available in an all-new Sky Blue finish alongside Silver, Starlight, and Midnight.
YouTuber Andru Edwards has showed off the Sky Blue color in a few real-world photos.
Keep in mind that the Sky Blue finish is not very saturated. However, the color's appearance will vary based on lighting conditions.
View ...
Apple today announced a completely redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory for the iPad Air.
The new keyboard features a larger built-in trackpad, a 14-key function row, and a new aluminum hinge. From Apple's press release:
The all-new Magic Keyboard for iPad Air expands what users can do at an even lower price. The larger built-in trackpad brings greater precision for detail-oriented...
I still don't see a real and practical use for wraparound screens as the S7 Edge has.
To me, it's nothing more than looks, and making the display more vulnerable to breakage, scratches, etc. Does it sense touch on the edges? If yes, how can you hold it by the sides without causing a touch event?
Unless Apple is planning use this technology for something more practical, someone please enlighten me.
Would be great if Apple improved the Shenzhen operations by lifting wages for its offshore workers, reducing their hours, and giving them proper working conditions. Apple is totally dragging its feet. And the issue at hand is OLED vs LCD?? What a joke!
Wages - The wage of an Apple factory worker inChina is about $310 USD per month. (2000 Chinese Yuan per month, but somewhere between 850 Chinese Yuan per month to 2030 Chinese Yuan.) - The wage of a factory worker in the USA is about $3900 USD. (Notice the extra zero?)
Hours of work - The hours of work in Apple’s offshore factories are at least 60 hours with records showing Apple’s offshore factory workers can frequently work up to more than 100 hours in a week. - The hours of work in the USA is around 40 hours.
Buying an iPhone - iPhone SE 16GB price in China is $510 USD. (3288 Chinese Yuan.) - iPhone SE 16GB price in the USA is $399 USD.
China File https://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/viewpoint/major-china-apple-supplier-pays-workers-less-foxconn
China Labor Watch http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/report/107
Would be great if Apple improved the Shenzhen operations by lifting wages for its offshore workers, reducing their hours, and giving them proper working conditions. Apple is totally dragging its feet. And the issue at hand is OLED vs LCD?? What a joke!
Wages - The wage of an Apple factory worker inChina is about $310 USD per month. (2000 Chinese Yuan per month, but somewhere between 850 Chinese Yuan per month to 2030 Chinese Yuan.) - The wage of a factory worker in the USA is about $3900 USD. (Notice the extra zero?)
Hours of work - The hours of work in Apple’s offshore factories are at least 60 hours with records showing Apple’s offshore factory workers can frequently work up to more than 100 hours in a week. - The hours of work in the USA is around 40 hours.
Buying an iPhone - iPhone SE 16GB price in China is $510 USD. (3288 Chinese Yuan.) - iPhone SE 16GB price in the USA is $399 USD.
China File https://www.chinafile.com/reporting-opinion/viewpoint/major-china-apple-supplier-pays-workers-less-foxconn
China Labor Watch http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/report/107
Here it is, the yearly implication that Apple are going to use OLED screens in the next model... and we can all guess what happens... they use IPS LCDs, thankfully. OLED is a mess - if OLED were really THAT GOOD, why are they not completely replacing LCDs? It's not as if OLED are new and bleeding edge. Apple are about colour accuracy, especially when you consider their new iPad Pro 9.7". Why would they move one product across to OLED and not the rest - can you say "inconsistent"? I am extremely confident that Apple will skip OLED panels altogether, and that they have something of their own in the pipeline... a little way off yet.
OLED screen: nice gimmick to have if your name is "Samsung".
Following multiple reports claiming Apple will release its first OLED-based iPhone as early as 2017, DigiTimes Research says that Apple manufacturer Foxconn will develop AMOLED displays through its recent investment in troubled Japanese electronics maker Sharp.
