Some industry watchers believe that 2017 will be something of a transitional year for Apple’s iPhone lineup. The company moved from one new flagship iPhone model each year to two in 2015 when it released the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Now, in 2017, Apple is expected to launch three new iPhone models, which have been referred to as the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, and iPhone 7s Plus. Looking down the road a bit, however, many people believe 2017 will be the only year Apple launches three new flagship iPhone models, shifting once again to two new iPhones in 2018 as Apple’s LCD iPhones are phased out. According to a new report, however, that won’t be the case at all.
Nikkei has something of a mixed track record when it comes to reporting on Apple’s plans. With that in mind, it’s a bit difficult to put too much faith in a report on 2018’s new iPhones, especially since plans could certainly still change at this point, especially with launches that are more than a year away.
According to Nikkei’s sources, Apple plans to only use OLED screens in its new iPhones beginning in the second half of 2018. This year’s new iPhone 8 is expected to be the first iPhone model ever to feature an OLED panel; earlier iPhones have always used LCD screens. The iPhone 8 will be the only to iPhone to sport an OLED screen in 2017, however.
The report also says that Apple is “tentatively looking” at launching three new iPhone models once again in 2017, suggesting that this year’s switch from two new iPhones to three might be a permanent move. Nikkei indicates that all three new iPhone models will feature OLED display panels if Apple does indeed release three new iPhones in 2018.
The report notes that regardless of how many new iPhone models Apple launches next year, Samsung will likely be Apple’s biggest supplier of OLED screens for the foreseeable future.
