We might be more than nine months away from the iPhone 14 launch, but we already have plenty of rumors that paint a similar picture for Apple’s next-gen handsets. The iPhone 14 series might bring the most significant redesign since 2017 when the iPhone X brought over the iPhone notch design. According to several reports, the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will feature hole-punch displays. The latest one comes from Korea, with Samsung seen as the major winner for Apple’s initial hole-punch display orders.
iPhone 14 Pro display rumors
We’ve heard similar claims for a few months now. The iPhone 14 Pro hole-punch display is in the works. What’s puzzling in all this speculation is that the iPhone 14 display rumors do not explain a big mystery. What happens to Face ID on iPhone 14 Pro models with hole-punch displays?
The regular iPhone 14 models will feature notch screens like the iPhone 13 series. The iPhone 13 feature smaller notches than ever, representing the first iPhone series that reduced the notch.
In other words, Apple should not ditch Face ID when the iPhone 14 series arrives. The iPhone’s 3D face recognition is a significant advantage over the iPhone, a sophisticated authentication method not available on Android.
Assuming Apple does go forward with the rumored iPhone 14 Pro display redesign, we’d expect next year’s Pro phones to feature Face ID support. But rather than needing a small bezel like the notch, some of the Face ID components might go under the display. That’s just speculation at this time, but it’s based on Face ID and Touch ID innovations that Apple has already patented.
The race to deliver iPhone 14 OLED panels
The new iPhone 14 Pro display rumor lists the same potential OLED screen suppliers for the 2022 handsets, as a report from a few weeks ago. According to Business Korea, Samsung Display, LG Display, and BOE are the three screen makers that can supply hole-punch displays for the iPhone 14 Pro handsets.
Samsung currently manufactures 100% of the OLED panels Apple needs for the iPhone 13 Pro phones. Furthermore, Samsung has been using hole-punch OLED panels for several years, being the main promoter of the hole-punch design. Most Android handsets feature such screens right now.
LG hasn’t manufactured hole-punch screens so far, the report notes. But the manufacturing technology is “easy” for the company. LG reportedly focuses on keeping Apple as a client of its LTPO TFT displays for the iPhone Pro models. However, it’s unclear whether LG will provide screens for the iPhone 14 Pro. The LTPO screens are the OLED panels that support dynamic refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
BOE is the least likely to win big from Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro display design change, the report says. The Chinese screen supplier has been manufacturing hole-punch screens. But BOE’s OLED screen quality is inferior to Samsung and LG. BOE is reportedly working on LTPO OLED screens for Apple, with production likely to start in 2023 at the earliest.
