Apple’s next iPhone will reportedly be a little more voluptuous, with a larger display and curved glass, if the latest rumor proves accurate.
The story from Bloomberg is based on a single, unnamed source, so take it with a dose of skepticism. The source says Apple is working on iPhones with 4.7- and 5.5-inch displays — both much larger than the 4-inch screen on the iPhone 5s and 5c — with glass that “curves downward at the edges.”
These new phones are planned for release in the later half of next year, the source said. Apple may also be working on pressure-sensitive displays for future iPhones.
Bloomberg is usually reliable for Apple rumors, though the publication does flub the occasional story on screen size, including the rumored mini iPhone in 2011 and the 4.3-inch iPhone 5s that didn’t happen this year.
Still, it’s reasonable to think that Apple would develop a larger iPhone, especially now that Apple has split the iPhone line into two distinct models. There’s not a huge world of difference between the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, and screen size seems like a logical way to distinguish the two products in the future. I’m skeptical that Apple would eliminate its 4-inch iPhone completely, so my guess is we’ll see the same 4-inch screen in the successor to the iPhone 5c, while the next flagship iPhone will get a larger display.
As for the curved glass, I wouldn’t rule it out, but Corning said earlier this year that its own flexible glass is still a few years away from commercial use. Apple, meanwhile, just made a big investment in sapphire, which would allow for more durable displays, but not necessarily flexible ones. The first curved display phones from LG and Samsung use plastic instead of glass.
Keep in mind that Apple tests lots of things that don’t make it beyond the prototype stage. In general, the crazier an Apple rumor sounds, the less likely it is to become reality anytime soon.