Apple's bezel-less iPhone delayed: Why Samsung is to be blamed
Apple's ambitious plan to bring a bezel-less iPhone by 2026, could be delayed due to technological hurdles faced by Samsung Display. The tech giant had previously commissioned both Samsung and LG to develop a zero-bezel OLED for its future iPhones. However, as South Korea's TheElec reports, the launch timeline could be pushed back due to lack of sufficient tech to eliminate bezels completely.
Samsung and LG's ongoing development of bezel-less OLED
Samsung and LG Display are already working on developing a bezel-less OLED at Apple's behest. However, mass production timeline is still unclear. Apple had originally planned to launch a zero-bezel OLED iPhone between 2025 and 2026. To address these technical challenges, Samsung may have to develop technologies like thin film encapsulation (TFE) for protecting OLED from moisture and oxygen, and optical clear adhesive (OCA) tech for bonding when laminating with transparent double-sided adhesive films.
Samsung official highlights technical challenges
At the K-Display Business Forum last August, a Samsung Display official had highlighted the technical challenges involved in achieving a zero-bezel display. The official had said that to achieve this goal, it would be necessary to "increase the light transmission rate of UPC (under panel camera) to over 50% and optimize the pixel structure." He had also said that "3D lamination, edge brightness control, etc., are technical challenges."
Apple's specific requirements for 0-bezel display
Despite Samsung Display's dominance in display innovations, it will take time to meet Apple's exact requirements. The iPhone maker wants to keep the flat display and angular design of existing iPhones while achieving a zero-bezel display. This would require designing the display to flow down the side of the product, much like how it is used on the Apple Watch. In some industry circles, this design is said to be implemented in a 'pebble shape.'
Industry insider comments on Apple's launch plans
Further, an industry insider also commented on Apple's launch plans. He said, "For Apple to launch a zero bezel OLED iPhone in 2026, discussions with domestic [Korean] panel manufacturers should have already been concluded, but they are still ongoing." This indicates the negotiations between Apple and the Korean display manufacturers are not yet finalized, which could be contributing to the delay in launching a bezel-less iPhone.
