Earlier in the month we heard a rumour that Apple's 2018 plans would extend to two smartphones with OLED displays in the style of the iPhone X. The theory went that the firm would return to its two-handset-per-launch policy, with this year's triple being an exception, and it was thought we'd basically see an iPhone XI and an iPhone XI Plus both with OLED screens.
Now though, according to a new rumour, Apple has plans for THREE iPhone X-style devices for launch inside 2018. Funny thing is, both the former story and this new one come from the same guy, prominent KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo; a man with a track record you don't want to bet against. Clearly he's uncovered some new details on top of the previous revelation that now indicate a third iPhone X-style phone in the works at Apple's R&D.
But here's the kicker, the third device, although similarly styled, will use a TFT LCD panel, NOT OLED like the other two.
Kuo's report, picked up by Macrumors, actually illustrates the three handsets expected from his findings and shows that each includes more-or-less the same design as the iPhone X, including the large, near bezel-free display implementation, and the controversial "notch" at the top.
That means all three will also lack a fingerprint scanner, meaning logically all three will use the front-facing TrueDepth camera and Face ID biometric security in place of Touch ID.
The main handset, which we'll call the iPhone XI, has a 5.8in OLED display at 458ppi. Then there's the 6.5in iPhone XI Plus, also with OLED and at 480-500ppi. Finally, the third device is a 6.1in TFT LCD at 320-330ppi. Could this be a new iPhone SE?
Kuo asserts that the two OLED phones will indeed have the same internal specs and these will be premium-grade - essentially these are the flagship models. The third model will be lower specced and pegged as an "entry level" iPhone, with an expected RRP in the region of $649-$749. Yeah...entry level.
None of this is offical yet, of course, but again, Kuo has an impeccable track record so it's quite likely he is onto something here. Of course, it is probably early enough in the development cycle that Apple could change its plans, but if this does happen we'd expect Kuo to publish a follow up report saying as much.
by pbriden via Featured Articles
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