Apple has always tried to be on the cutting edge of new design, but a new design choice could end up truly smashing the status quo. According to CEO Allen Horng of Catcher Technology, a major Taiwanese Apple supplier, at least one model of the upcoming iPhone 8 will have a complete glass case.
This new direction is likely the result of increasing pressure to bring a level of diversity and fresh design to this flagship device. KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo explains in a MacRumors article.
“If iPhone 7 still uses an aluminum casing in 2016, it will be the fifth year in a row that iPhone has done so, which means there is no longer a feeling of freshness to appeal to consumers. A lot of Apple’s (US) competitors are also adopting aluminum casings, which means iPhone no longer has a clear edge due to a lack of differentiation.”
The iPhone’s New Look
This is hardly the first time that glass has been used as a major component of an Apple iPhone, however. The 4 and 4s both used glass on the back and front of the device, but still retained a significant metal portion squeezed between the two. The use of this more fragile material is also a significant departure from the aluminium casing used in the iPhone 6 and 6s, but will apparently allow for a new curved-edge organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display from Samsung.
This flexible OLED system would allow for the entire screen of the phone to be used, in the same configuration as the current Apple Watch models. It allows for deeper black colours and far better visibility in bright sunlight: perfect for the inevitable multitude of upcoming summer selfies.
Fixing What Ain’t Broke
However, there are concerns that this new design could result in the continuation of the dreaded smashed-screen issues that plague so many users. However, there could be a few tricks up Apple’s sleeves to combat this, as it is a well-known issue and a notorious gripe among otherwise loyal fans. Perhaps a new development along the lines of the Apple Watch’s heavy-duty and scratch resistant screen? Some kind of dampening system within the phone itself? Your guess is as good as ours!
Smartphone fans can expect to see the new iPhone out later this year, with the glass-cased variety pegged for delivery in 2017: the device’s 10th anniversary. Quite the coincidence, no?
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