Apple’s 6.1-Inch iPhone Could Feature LG’s Advanced MLCD+ Display

Apple is rumored to be launching three iPhone models later this year: two OLED variants and one LCD model. If a new report is to be believed, the LCD iPhone could come with a 6.1-inch display that uses LG Display’s M+ technology.

Patently Apple reported last weekend that it’s possible for the 6.1-inch iPhone to feature LG’s MLCD+ technology for display panels. If true, then the LCD model won’t be that far behind from its OLED siblings in terms of picture quality.

The South Korean tech company’s MLCD+ or M+ technology is a sub-pixel panel technology that utilizes four sub-pixels (RGBW) instead of the typical three (RGB). Hence, one pixel on the MLCD+ panel is composed of the standard sub-pixel unit plus a white pixel.

The addition of the white pixel brings in some advantages to the display panel. First, the MLCD+ can still provide more visible white light than the traditional RGB panel when the backlight panel is turned down. The next advantage has to do with how the MLCD+ panel saves more power than standard LCD. Lastly, peak brightness is expanded due to the inclusion of white pixels.

All of the aforesaid advantages are present in LG’s all-new G7 ThinQ flagship smartphone, which is scheduled to hit the U.S. market in June. The LG G6’s successor is the first smartphone to feature LG’s modified LCD technology, and it boasts of maximum brightness that reaches 1,000 nits.

LG is one of Apple’s suppliers for its iDevice displays, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Cupertino giant will be using the M+ technology for its 6.1-inch LCD iPhone. Doing so will obviously make the new LCD model more appealing to many consumers, especially since it is debuting alongside two high-end OLED variants.

Late last month, IBTimes learned that the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone will likely come with a stronger display glass, suggesting that the new model won’t feature 3D Touch. The idea of the LCD iPhone not having pressure-sensitive display is not new at all since KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the same thing early this year.

If Apple were to indeed ditch 3D Touch on its LCD iPhone, then it would be the only variant to not come with the feature. Kuo said both the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones that are launching this fall will retain the 3D Touch feature, which is deeply engrained inside the iOS operating system.