It was first floated in a patent application filed by Apple in 2013. And yet, despite widespread excitement over the unique design, it still hasn't reached the general public. But now Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst at KGI Securities who has a track record of accurately predicting Apple's next steps, has told investors the curved glass case will be brought out for the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. It is three months until specific details are released. But Kuo's note to investors, obtained by AppleInsider, has sent a buzz through the tech industry. Liquid metal is a slow cooling alloy which means it can be moulded more easily than steel or aluminium, for example, and is more hard wearing. With 3D printing, this three-year-old design is now a much more realistic prospect.
The design will be similar to the iPhone 5s's 'glass sandwich', but with curved glass on both sides, insiders predict. Kuo claims the iPhone 7, which is unlikely to launch until at least September 2016, will be the firm's thinnest handset to date at just 6mm thick. This would put on a par with the iPod touch, and would be almost a millimetre thinner than the current iPhone 6. Apple's original iPhone, released in 2007, was 12.3mm thick. By comparison the current iPhone 6 is 6.9mm thick, while the larger iPhone 6 Plus is 7.1mm. These devices are noticeably thinner than the iPhone 5S, which measures 7.6mm.
However, thinner devices are potentially more vulnerable to being broken and the iPhone 6 Plus, for example, was criticised for bending in the pockets of its owners due to its larger, thinner design.
The iPod touch is 6.1mm thick, but its screen is smaller than the iPhones - at just 4-inches. It doesn't take a SIM card, meaning it can be thinner because it needs fewer internal components as the iPhone.
If Mr Kuo's claims are true, Apple's next-generation handset would be its thinnest yet, but it would still be significantly thicker than the thinnest phone in the world - Vivo's X5 Max. Vivo's Android handset is just 4.75mm, while rival phone-maker Oppo's R5 is 4.85mm. Samsung also has a super-thin phone called the Galaxy A8 which measures 5.9mm. It has also been claimed that Apple plans to bring new OLED screen to its iPhone this year. If so, it would mean the first handsets using the battery boosting technology would be revealed a year earlier than expected in 2017.
Kuo also predicted the iPhone 7 will have a new, faster A10 processor, and the larger plus handset will also have 1gb of extra ram to differentiate the two phones. Earlier this year Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster told clients 'we expect the iPhone 7 to sport a unique design from the iPhone 6/6S'. He believes it will do away with the home button, instead relying on the 3D Touch screen introduced in the 6S. LG and Samsung are said to be spending more than $10 billion to create new OLED manufacturing plants to supply screens for Apple's iPhones.
Now, Nikkei says those plans have been brought forward amid fears that iPhone sales have stalled.
Apple reported little growth in iPhone sales last quarter and an expected downturn in the current quarter. OLED screens are thinner and offer better picture quality than the mainstay liquid crystal display screens. Japan's Nikkei newspaper first reported earlier this year that Apple plans to start using OLED screens for iPhones starting in 2018. LG and Samsung Display are close to a final agreement with Apple for the screens, the Electronic Times report said, adding the two Korean firms plan a combined 15 trillion won ($12.8 billion) in capital expenditure to build up OLED production capacity over the next two to three years. Apple will likely provide some funding to both firms to help with the investments, the paper added.
LG Display and Samsung Display declined to comment, while Apple could not be immediately reached for comment. Samsung Display, which currently supplies OLED smartphone panels to parent Samsung Electronics and Chinese vendors, is likely getting bigger volumes from Apple than LG Display, the paper said. Earlier this month it was revealed Apple has opened a production laboratory in northern Taiwan to develop new 'superthin' phone and watch displays. According to Bloomberg, the facility is Longtan has at least 50 engineers. Apple has recruited from local display maker AU Optronics Corp. and Qualcomm Inc., which used to own the building, the people said. 'Engineers are developing more-advanced versions of the liquid-crystal displays currently used in iPhones, iPads and Mac personal computers, the people said,' according to Bloomberg. 'Apple also is keen to move to organic light-emitting diodes, which are even thinner and don’t require a backlight.'
It is believed the second generation smartwatch will be thinner and have improved battery life.
It is then expected to go on sale in March, almost a year after the original went on sale. Munster said he expects a strong Christmas for the firm, which is still to release its new Apple TV and iPad Pro. 'We believe there is anticipation of a strong holiday quarter driven by first-time December-quarter products including Apple Watch, new iPad Pro, and Apple TV.
Writer - Liam McClelland | @Liamicy