iDigitalTimes' own Mike Gardiner reported on Friday that Apple is slated to bring OLED screens to the 'iPhone 8' in 2017 after Korean Herald reported that the Cupertino tech company made a deal with Samsung for 100 million OLED display units. Now, a new report from renowned KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo speculates the next generation iPhone could revert back to a glass-backed case after five years of aluminum bodies. Has Apple run out of new tricks for its iPhone?
According to Kuo, the move back to the old glass casing is a response to the increasing number of aluminum smartphones in the market, a trend that was started by Apple themselves. Going back to glass could mean a clean slate and allow more freedom in product design.
"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," stated Kuo via MacRumors. "Also, 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. On expectations that iPhone shipments will decline in 2016, we believe Apple will be more strongly motivated to use non-aluminum casings in 2017 in a bid to enhance the competitiveness of iPhone by offering an all-new form-factor design."
While a return to glass is interesting, doubters warn glass casing will be less durable in a drop test and will also weigh more. Despite the mostly valid points, Kuo is confident of the next-gen glass iPhone.
"Apple already uses glass casing for iPhone 4/ 4S, and non-Apple brands have also been using glass casings. We therefore think a drop test will not be problematic for glass casing. A glass casing may be slightly heavier than an aluminum one of the same thickness, but the difference is so small that the use of the thinner and lighter AMOLED panel will compensate for that."
