2018 iPhone Rumors: Apple Lineup Will Include Face ID, Supply Chain [Report]

This year’s iPhones will feature the iPhone X’s Face ID, according to two recent supply chain reports from Korea spotted by 9to5Mac.

KGI Securities said last fall that Apple will release three iPhones with the Face ID this year. Apple released the iPhone X with the Face ID in November. The system in the $1,000 smartphone includes 3D face recognition modules for unlocking the screens, making payments and other iPhone tasks.

This week’s reports by ETNews and The Korea Herald say LG Innotek will continue to be Apple’s main supplier for the Face ID modules. Apple is reportedly diversifying suppliers for the modules, however Sharp did not renew a deal with the Cupertino tech firm. The reports say Apple added two Chinese companies to their list of suppliers. The companies were identified as “Company A” and “Company B.” Company A is reportedly emerging in the smartphone components market and the second company is known for semiconductor packaging.

LG Innotek has dropped clues recently about keeping its business with Apple. LG Innotek reportedly said last month it was investing $821 million into its facilities. The company said the money is for “camera modules of mobile devices and businesses for new modules.” The investment is expected to go towards construction of new production lines. LG Innotek did not name Apple, but industry experts believe the money is for face recognition modules for future iPhones. LG is reportedly looking into combining the front facing camera and Face ID components on upcoming devices. Those products will be released in 2019, not this year, LG’s scheduled investment suggests.

2018 iPhone Lineup Rumors

Apple is expected to release a 6.5-inch OLED model, a 5.8-inch OLED version and a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone this fall -- all with the Face ID. The biggest smartphone in the lineup has been dubbed the iPhone X Plus. Samsung is expected to supply between 180 to 200 million OLED panels for Apple’s 2018 iPhones.

The devices are expected to include many of the features found on the latest iPhone X. Besides the Face ID, the iPhone X comes with Animoji, a vertical dual-camera system on the back, wireless charging and Portrait mode.

The two rumored OLED devices could include a one-cell L-shaped battery, instead of the current two-cell battery found on the iPhone X. The 6.1-inch LCD model will not come with last year’s stacked logic board and L-shaped battery pack, KGI said. Apple could also boost the battery size of the 2018 iPhone lineup. The 5.8-inch model could have a battery capacity between 2,900mAh and 3,000mAh, more than the current 2,716mAh battery. The upcoming iPhones are also rumored to support wireless charging.

The smartphones are also expected to be cheaper than the $1,000 iPhone X price. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a research note last month that the 6.1-inch iPhone could come with a $700-$800 price tag in the United States.