Apple iPhone Pro Rumored To Feature 5.8-Inch Display, Folded Side Screens Like Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Futuristic flexible side screen is believed to be part of the heavily-rumored "Apple iPhone Pro" with a 5.8-inch display. Pictured above: Apple iPhone 6 series. Reuters

Reports suggest that Apple is working on a 5.8-inch OLED display clad handset called "iPhone Pro." This device is expected to be launched sometime in 2017.

According to Macrumors, the upcoming Apple iPhone Pro will use a display technology that wraps around the sides of the smartphone. DisplayMate's Ray Soneira, on the other hand, explains this further by saying Apple might make use of "folded edge side screens" with the help of “flexible OLED displays.” It goes without saying that with such a display technology onboard, Apple will be able to get rid of the side bezels altogether.

Furthermore, the side display will apparently let the iPhone Pro users to toggle on or off a slew of controls via virtual buttons. Phone Arena says, in 2013, Apple filed a patent with the USPTO regarding curved screen technology. This patent was approved in 2015. According to the patent, curved screens on future iPhones will make the images/content appear as if it’s flowing in a continuous loop.

This technology can be used to make iPhones or for that matter, any device to have an appearance of a cylinder. The same patent can also be used to design full-glass iPhones complete with 3D touch for the future.

As to why Apple is planning to move away from LCD and embrace OLED, Ray Soneira apparently said, OLED screen technology comes with efficient power management capabilities and it can also present higher Brightness level when compared to the traditional LCDs.

It is worth noting that OLED displays can reportedly be manufactured on flexible substrates as well to churn out curved screens, similar to the Samsung Galaxy Edge series. At this point, the OLED screens are “protected under rigid glass.” However, in the foreseeable future, OLEDs will apparently turn flexible.

Soneira concluded by saying: "If Apple wants to be leading display innovation with a new OLED iPhone the side screens would really be the best way to do so.”

According to Macrumors, if we hypothetically apply the same flexible display technology on the existing 5.5-inch iPhone and compare it to the rumored Apple iPhone Pro, the 5.8-inch screen “would leave an extra 7.1 mm of display on each side” of the upcoming device. This additional display can very well be utilized to wrap around the edges of the iPhone.