Is Apple Releasing iPhone ‘Pro’ In 2017? New Report Suggests High-End Variant With OLED Display To Launch After iPhone 7, Plus

Is Apple saving the “Pro” variant for its new lineup of iPhones slated to be released next year? A new report suggests that the Cupertino giant is working on a more premium and high-end third variant for its 2017 smartphone lineup. The third iPhone is even said to come with OLED display that will be manufactured by Samsung.

According to MacRumors, Apple is looking to debut another premium smartphone next year along with its active standard and Plus lines. The standard version will still come with a 4.7-inch display, while the Plus version will still sport a 5.5-inch screen. As for the third variant, it is going to come with a 5.5-inch or larger OLED display that is curved on both sides just like Samsung’s Galaxy S7 Edge.

Just last week, it was confirmed that Apple scrapped the idea of launching an iPhone 7 Pro alongside the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus that are set to debut on Sept. 7. At the time, it was revealed that there wasn’t really a “Pro” variant, but a “Pro” moniker that serves as a fallback in case the integration of the dual-lens camera system to the iPhone 7 Plus does not work out.

Now that it is already known that Apple is only releasing two variants this year, Apple is rumored bring a new model into the mix come 2017. MacRumors stated that the third iPhone variant is expected to be the product of Apple’s transition toward using OLED technology for its smartphones’ display.

"There will be a 4.7-inch model, another that will be 5.5-inches and a premium handset that will be either 5.5-inches or larger equipped with a screen bent on the two sides," an unnamed source told Japan’s Nikkei.

IHS DisplaySearch senior director David Hsiech has also supported this claim by Nikkei’s source, and he even added that Apple is tapping Samsung to be its sole supplier of OLED display panels, as per Apple Insider.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted earlier that Apple is likely to introduce an iPhone with a curved 5.8-inch AMOLED display next year. So this new report supports what the famous analyst, who is known for his accurate predictions when it comes to Apple's upcoming products, has said.

Meanwhile, should Samsung have a difficult time in keeping up with Apple’s OLED display orders aside from manufacturing supplies for its own smartphones, MacRumors states that Apple could also order from Foxcoon because the latter has been developing glass casings and OLED displays for the past year in hopes of getting orders from its biggest client this 2017.

The following year will mark the 10th anniversary of Apple’s iPhone, and if these rumors circulating the web do contain some truth in them, then it is safe to say that Apple’s 2017 iPhones will be significant upgrades compared with the ones that are slated to launch this September. Unfortunately, there is no word yet if Apple is planning to use the “Pro” moniker for the third premium device that is part of the 10th anniversary lineup.