Apple Reportedly Asks Suppliers for 'Bezelless' OLED iPhone Displays

[MacRumors]

Apple has asked its suppliers to develop "bezelless" OLED display panels for future iPhone models, The Elec reports.

iPhone 15 Pro Max dummy model with thinner bezels compared to an iPhone 14 Pro Max, via Unbox Therapy.​

Apple apparently asked Samsung and LG Display to develop the new OLED display panels, intending to implement them while maintaining the iPhone's current design, in contrast to the curved displays that some smartphone brands with ultra-slim bezels offer. Apple is reportedly reluctant to implement a display that curves over the side of the iPhone due to concerns about optical distortion and durability.

Apple purportedly wants the bezelless displays to facilitate improved thin film encapsulation (TFE) and under-panel camera (UPC) technology, as well as increase space for components like antennas while reducing interference. Retaining a design with a flat display reportedly enables these improvements, where they would otherwise currently be impossible with a curved display.

Overall, this suggests that Apple is currently planning to offer the bezelless OLED display as soon as the iPhone 17 Pro in 2025, since this device is rumored to be the first to feature under-display Face ID technology, sitting alongside a hole-shaped cutout for the front-facing camera. Likewise, Apple is likely targeting a release date sometime before its own custom microLED display technology makes its way to the iPhone. Apple's first device with a custom microLED display is expected to be the 2025 Apple Watch Ultra, with various reports suggesting that the iPhone will be soon to follow in subsequent years.

Apple plans to reduce the iPhone's bezel over time until there is no bezel at all upon utilizing the next-generation OLED panels from Samsung and LG. This year's iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are expected to have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone to date at just 1.55mm.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Asks Suppliers for 'Bezelless' OLED iPhone Displays

 

[sniffies]

I like bezellessness

 

[icanhazapple]

Don't you need one or two millimeters of bezel so that the rounded edge of a case is not covering pixels?

 

[Premium1]

I hope they get it worked out that there won't be phantom touches and whatnot.

 

[MacWiz_007]

They should try notch-less and dynamic island-less first.

 

[Supermacguy]

How do you hold it in your hand without touching/covering it, or a case that goes to the edge without a little bit of bezel/margin?

 

[Eggtastic]

I'm all for it. Visually pleasing and slight increase in screen size.

 

[wikiverse]

How do you hold it in your hand without touching/covering it, or a case that goes to the edge without a little bit of bezel/margin?

You're holding it wrong... (again).

 

[Kylo83]

Nice I don’t like bezels the 14 pro has huge ones

 

[gpat]

They should try notch-less and dynamic island-less first.

No notch, no dynamic island, no physical buttons, and everything will be perfect so you won't be able to tell if the phone is upside-down or not. Just dreamy.

 

[MacWiz_007]

No notch, no dynamic island, no physical buttons, and everything will be perfect so you won't be able to tell if the phone is upside-down or not. Just dreamy.

I never said no physical buttons.

 

[DocMultimedia]

2025? Not a chance. 2027 is much more likely.

 

[Iconoclysm]

Don't you need one or two millimeters of bezel so that the rounded edge of a case is not covering pixels?

A full half inch of the display is covered by bezels at the bottom of the current method.

 

[Iconoclysm]

How do you hold it in your hand without touching/covering it, or a case that goes to the edge without a little bit of bezel/margin?

That's not what they mean here, the current display curves underneath at the bottom.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

The thinner the bezels are, the larger the radius of the rounded corners is and I hate those rounded corners. Rounded corners mean that there are pixels missing in a lot of rows and columns.

There does not seem to be a real reason for thin bezels except showing that it is technically possible to make bezels very thin.

 

[nfl46]

We all knew this was coming. Probably another 4 years, though. We all know when 2025 gets here, it will be "delayed."

 

[contacos]

I miss the feeling of my old XS Max. They should bring the curve back

 

[MayaUser]

That's not what they mean here, the current display curves underneath at the bottom.

That's not what he meant here, he asked how do you hold your phone and about the protection cases...read again

 

[MayaUser]

we already knew and feel the thin madness where it went for the ipads bend and iphones battery life and macs thermal nighmare...
now bezeless will show the pixels covering and the nightmare from the usability stand point
Dont know this will become true...the iphone 15 pro will have the limitation regarding this...

 

[xxray]

They should try notch-less and dynamic island-less first.

FaceID is supposed to go under-display in 2025 and then Dynamic Island gone in 2027:

iPhone roadmap reveals Apple's goals for under-screen Face ID

Starting with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, Apple adopted a new LTPO screen technology on the...

9to5mac.com

 

[krspkbl]

Usually I hate bezels but the one on my 12 Pro Max doesn't bother me at all. I know newer iPhones have or will have smaller bezels which is fine. I welcome any reduction but it's not something I am really looking for.

The notch doesn't bother me but I'd rather Apple try get rid of the display island so we can have a full screen phone with no visible camera or sensors.

 

[blazerunner]

Apple will take the credit for it when they announced it; they always do this. This company is NOT 'innovative'

 

[roland.g]

I can live with the hairline bezels we have and the rounded corners. Ridiculous y’all.

 

[npmacuser5]

Apple will take the credit for it when they announced it; they always do this. This company is NOT 'innovative'

The first lightbulb made by Edison. GE made the lightbulb useful. That is innovation. Exactly what Apple has done since inception.

 

[boswald]

I honestly don’t even notice mine, but I have a feeling that if I had this I won’t want to go back. Maybe it’s just that “it’s new” feeling.