iPhone 8 Rumors: 3D Touch Components For OLED Display 150% More Expensive

A new report claims that Apple’s 3D Touch components on the OLED-equipped iPhone 8 are 150 percent more expensive than its LCD counterpart. This news arrives amid speculations that Apple’s iPhone 8 might cost $1,000 when it launches this fall.

Touch panel maker TPK Holdings quoted that the 3D Touch components for the iPhone 8’s OLED display will cost $18 to $22. TPK also said that that Apple has accepted the quote, according to the Economic Daily News (via DigiTimes).

TPK and fellow maker General Interface Solution (GIS) currently charges Apple $7-$9 for the 3D Touch LCD panels on the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The processing cost of the 3D Touch OLED panels is only 50 percent more than its LCD counterpart, but TPK and GIS are allegedly quoting three times more than that.

The OLED display requires a separate protective glass that’s bonded on the front and back of a device, according to MacRumors. This process is done to reinforce the fragile OLED display. This is an important factor in building the new OLED-equipped iPhone since 3D Touch requires users to press down on the display.

It’s been previously reported that Apple is planning to embed its Touch ID sensor beneath the iPhone 8’s OLED display. This may also require additional care and processing, as pointed out by 9To5Mac.

Earlier this month, JPMorgan analysts estimated that the iPhone 8’s bill of materials (BOM) could cost Apple an additional $75-$80. The huge increase of price for the internal and external components will surely translate to a higher price for the final product itself. The most popular rumor that’s going around is that the iPhone 8 might cost more than $1,000.

The most expensive iPhone in Apple’s current lineup is the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus which sells for $969. With that in mind, it’s not hard to imagine Apple slapping a price tag on the iPhone 8 that’s beyond $1,000. After all, the upcoming phone is rumored to become Apple’s “premium” device.

Apple’s iPhone 8 is rumored to come with a glass body and a stainless steel frame. The size of the OLED display itself remains a mystery with speculations ranging from 5-inches to 5.8-inches.

The iPhone 8 is believed to have an edge-to-edge OLED display that completely removes the top and bottom bezels up front. However, JPMorgan analysts believe that the OLED display on the iPhone 8 will only be edge-to-edge horizontally leaving some room for slim bezels on the top and bottom. If the analysts are right, Apple’s premium device could look similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S8.

Since the iPhone 8 might be Apple’s most expensive smartphone yet, the tech giant will still be offering more affordable options. Apple is also rumored to debut the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s and 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus.

Unlike the iPhone 8, the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus are said to be using LCD display rather than OLED. The two are expected to only have some incremental upgrades from the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.