Making a case: MicroLED Display in iPhone 6S

[Bbqthis]

Well, I think it is? If being an LCD, the background in this display should have been blackish/brownish without the backlight. In my opinion there's too much contrast between the gear and background, and with no reflection or glare present.

Hmm I thought it looked like an off-white background at a very low light level...but you're right, the contrast is pretty high. There is quite a bit of reflection from the lights though.

 

[Bbqthis]

Looking now, that gear does like very matte black...or maybe I'm just seeing through hopeful goggles.

 

[samsveds]

Remember, a LCD creates blacks (i.e. the cog) by blocking light coming from behind the panel, not allowing it through. But a backlight would also mean an additional flex cable which does not seem to be present.

EDIT:

Found this iPhone 6 front panel disassembly on ifixit really helpful, it shows the connection order of all the cables on the motherboard. Assuming the order is the same for 6s, that would mean the circled connector is for front camera and sensors (missing here):

The vertical cable to the right is the Touch ID as previously said.
The horizontal cable with metal coating is the digitizer cable, and underneath that is the display data cable which is covered from view.

But wait! here's a picture of the bare 6s motherboard so we can have a look under the cables:

Note that it has one less connector on the board, it is clearly missing the display data cable! The last connector on the top, the one closest to the edge is for the rear camera. I think this settles it guys! I call this confirmed.

 

[Bbqthis]

Remember, a LCD creates blacks (i.e. the cog) by blocking light coming from behind the panel, not allowing it through. But a backlight would also mean an additional flex cable which does not seem to be present.

EDIT:

Found this iPhone 6 front panel disassembly on ifixit really helpful, it shows the connection order of all the cables on the motherboard. Assuming the order is the same for 6s, that would mean the circled connector is for front camera and sensors (missing here):

The vertical cable to the right is the Touch ID as previously said.
The horizontal cable with metal coating is the digitizer cable, and underneath that is the display data cable which is covered from view.

But wait! here's a picture of the bare 6s motherboard so we can have a look under the cables:

Note that it has one less connector on the board, it is clearly missing the display data cable! The last connector on the top, the one closest to the edge is for the rear camera. I think this settles it guys! I call this confirmed.

The only thing confirmed is that it has one less cable

 

[samsveds]

Yeah, but one less cable needed for the display.

 

[The Leafs Fan]

If the 6s does get mLed or OLED, MacRumours should definitely shine a spotlight on this thread. And give us all free iPhone 6s' just for fun.

 

[iphonedude2008]

If the 6s does get mLed or OLED, MacRumours should definitely shine a spotlight on this thread. And give us all free iPhone 6s' just for fun.

Same thing I said a few pages back, but yours gets us a free iPhone

 

[lagwagon]

Remember, a LCD creates blacks (i.e. the cog) by blocking light coming from behind the panel, not allowing it through. But a backlight would also mean an additional flex cable which does not seem to be present.

EDIT:

Found this iPhone 6 front panel disassembly on ifixit really helpful, it shows the connection order of all the cables on the motherboard. Assuming the order is the same for 6s, that would mean the circled connector is for front camera and sensors (missing here):

The vertical cable to the right is the Touch ID as previously said.
The horizontal cable with metal coating is the digitizer cable, and underneath that is the display data cable which is covered from view.

But wait! here's a picture of the bare 6s motherboard so we can have a look under the cables:

Note that it has one less connector on the board, it is clearly missing the display data cable! The last connector on the top, the one closest to the edge is for the rear camera. I think this settles it guys! I call this confirmed.

Doesn't confirm anything.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+6+Front+Panel+Assembly+Replacement/29339

Starting at step 12 they remove the 4 cables. Not one is mentioned as a backlight. (1: front camera, 2: home button, 3: digitizer, 4: display data)

Unless digitizer means backlight there is no cable required separately for the backlight on the 6 to begin with. (*edit* digitizer is the touch sensors on the glass. So taps, swipes and so on.)

 

[The Leafs Fan]

Same thing I said a few pages back, but yours gets us a free iPhone

Haha yeah I saw but the more it's repeated, the more likely it is someone notices.

 

[MDMac]

Backlight for iPhone 6: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Orig...ne-6-4-7-inch-BackLight-with/32390456303.html

Also saw this video on a backlight repair and it looks like the data cable supplies power to the backlight as well. Skip to the end to see what I mean.

 

[The.316]

Man, this thread is fun to watch. Learn something different while going through the pages.

So are we grasping for straws here, or is there is legitimate chance that the phone will have a screen different from the previous versions? And is it confirmed that this next iPhone is an "S" model, because the way I see it, if the new phone has force touch, upgraded camera, 4k, more ram, AND an mLED/AMOLED screen, it really should be called the iPhone 7. This would be a major upgrade.

 

[lagwagon]

Man, this thread is fun to watch. Learn something different while going through the pages.

So are we grasping for straws here, or is there is legitimate chance that the phone will have a screen different from the previous versions? And is it confirmed that this next iPhone is an "S" model, because the way I see it, if the new phone has force touch, upgraded camera, 4k, more ram, AND an mLED/AMOLED screen, it really should be called the iPhone 7. This would be a major upgrade.

Screen is not confirmed, but it might as well be confirmed that yes it will be an "s" model. Number change = design change. "s" model = hardware leap/brand new feature(s).

 

[Bbqthis]

I would say we are definitely grasping at straws, but they are very interesting straws that maybe tell a tale we weren't expecting initially.

Man, this thread is fun to watch. Learn something different while going through the pages.

So are we grasping for straws here, or is there is legitimate chance that the phone will have a screen different from the previous versions? And is it confirmed that this next iPhone is an "S" model, because the way I see it, if the new phone has force touch, upgraded camera, 4k, more ram, AND an mLED/AMOLED screen, it really should be called the iPhone 7. This would be a major upgrade.

 

[samsveds]

Doesn't confirm anything.

https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+6+Front+Panel+Assembly+Replacement/29339

Starting at step 12 they remove the 4 cables. Not one is mentioned as a backlight. (1: front camera, 2: home button, 3: digitizer, 4: display data)

Unless digitizer means backlight there is no cable required separately for the backlight on the 6 to begin with. (*edit* digitizer is the touch sensors on the glass. So taps, swipes and so on.)

I assumed the data cable provides both the image and backlight, as the digitizer is for screen input.

 

[charea]

If you look carefully at the HiRes pictures, you see that it's the middle connector that is missing (digitizer cable).
My guess is that the digitizer and home button connectors were merged together, hence the bigger connector on the right.

https://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/9to56sboard.png

 

[samsveds]

If you look carefully at the HiRes pictures, you see that it's the middle connector that is missing (digitizer cable).
My guess is that the digitizer and home button connectors were merged together, hence the bigger connector on the right.

https://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/9to56sboard.png

Good catch! It definitely has some added functionality.

 

[SR71]

If you look carefully at the HiRes pictures, you see that it's the middle connector that is missing (digitizer cable).
My guess is that the digitizer and home button connectors were merged together, hence the bigger connector on the right.

https://9to5mac.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/9to56sboard.png

Alright so I did some investigating and realized a few things. So, as you said, the digitizer connector is missing from the leaked 6s motherboard. This got me thinking, how does the display on the Galaxy S6 connect to the motherboard of the phone? Does it have a digitzer cable and display cable? I then did a bit of digging and after looking over iFixit's teardown of the S6 https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S6+Display+Assembly+Replacement/44657) numerous times to ensure I wasn't missing anything, I came to the conclusion that it only uses one single connector for the display.

That connector can be seen in the image below (it's the little yellow one hanging off the display on the top left):

Just as with the leaked 6s motherboard there are only connections for the display connector, the home button, and the cameras (although the S6 has the camera(s) connections in a backwards style format as noted by iFixit, so they're not easily visible as they are on the 6s's motherboard). I then went back to iFixit and looked at their teardown of every iPhone back to the iPhone 4s just to see how the display/digitizer/camera connectors were setup. They were all about the same as the iPhone 6's motherboard.

Between the similarities of the cable connector setups of the 6s and the Galaxy S6, the lack of any substantial display connector changes in past iPhone's from the 4s to the 6, and the complete lack of a digitizer cable connector on the 6s's motherboard I'd definitely say we're in for a new type of display. I just cannot see them making such a significant cable connector change only to keep the same type of display. That seems completely illogical of them.

 

[samsveds]

The same is true for the Galaxy S5:

 

[Bbqthis]

HMMMM I can just hear it now. Phil pulls up the slide with the break down of the display and says "we've consolidated our cables for the sole purpose of not having to pay for more cables. Sorry macrumors!"

Alright so I did some investigating and realized a few things. So, as you said, the digitizer connector is missing from the leaked 6s motherboard. This got me thinking, how does the display on the Galaxy S6 connect to the motherboard of the phone? Does it have a digitzer cable and display cable? I then did a bit of digging and after looking over iFixit's teardown of the S6 https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Samsung+Galaxy+S6+Display+Assembly+Replacement/44657) numerous times to ensure I wasn't missing anything, I came to the conclusion that it only uses one single connector for the display.

That connector can be seen in the image below (it's the little yellow one hanging off the display on the top left):

Just as with the leaked 6s motherboard there are only connections for the display connector, the home button, and the cameras (although the S6 has the camera(s) connections in a backwards style format as noted by iFixit, so they're not easily visible as they are on the 6s's motherboard). I then went back to iFixit and looked at their teardown of every iPhone back to the iPhone 4s just to see how the display/digitizer/camera connectors were setup. They were all about the same as the iPhone 6's motherboard.

Between the similarities of the cable connector setups of the 6s and the Galaxy S6, the lack of any substantial display connector changes in past iPhone's from the 4s to the 6, and the complete lack of a digitizer cable connector on the 6s's motherboard I'd definitely say we're in for a new type of display. I just cannot see them making such a significant cable connector change only to keep the same type of display. That seems completely illogical of them.

 

[SR71]

The same is true for the Galaxy S5:

Yup forgot to mention I looked at the S5 and S4 as well. Both use the same setup for their AMOLED displays.

HMMMM I can just hear it now. Phil pulls up the slide with the break down of the display and says "we've consolidated our cables for the sole purpose of not having to pay for more cables. Sorry macrumors!"

Haha imagine! I'd actually laugh if that happened.

 

[samsveds]

Did a pin count on the connectors earlier to compare differences. The only connectors that hasn't been altered are the front camera assembly and back camera:

 

[SR71]

Did a pin count on the connectors earlier to compare differences. The only connectors that hasn't been altered are the front camera assembly and back camera:

Hmm, interesting. All of this speculation is just further causing me to believe we're going to see a display change. They wouldn't just get rid of the digitizer port for no reason unless they no longer needed two separate display ports.

 

[The Leafs Fan]

The same is true for the Galaxy S5

And for the Nexus 6:

 

[Bbqthis]

I'm really starting to believe...

 

[MarcoCapa]

Very interesting thing.... I have read in the past about pressure sensitivity added to iPad pro via size of the finger ( more pressure bigger size).... Maybe they will use OLED on iPhone and LCD on the pro
I hope OLED, but I suspect a delusion for another time
I also suggest to contact displaymate and IFixit about the cables and the connectors required for every single display type