Future Apple iPhones Could Include Flexible Displays, Report Says

Not long ago, an Apple patent filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a smartphone with a curved display started making rounds online. This indicated that the tech giant could be gearing up to manufacture curved-display devices similar to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Galaxy Note Edge. But a new report suggests that Apple could be secretly working on flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels instead.

According to Business Korea, Apple will opt for flexible displays on future iPhones. It is speculated that the major Korean manufacturer LG is trying to convince the Cupertino-based tech titan to opt for flexible displays. It is a known fact that LG is capable of mass producing flexible OLED displays. The companies also have cutting-edge research units under their belt.

LG has decided to shift one of its LCD lines located in its Gumi, South Korea, factory to an OLED line to improve the annual mass production capacity. This line reportedly will be ready for mass production in 2017. This information confirms that a flexible iPhone 7 or iPhone 6S variant for 2015 is not possible.

LG is already selling flexible display clad devices like the G Flex 2. In fact, Apple is also reportedly using the OLEDs supplied by LG for the Apple Watch. According to a credible source picked up by Business Korea, “it is very likely that the first flexible iPhone may be introduced in 2018, as Apple's top-tier display suppliers are working on it.”