Apple’s quest for a bezel-less iPhone: Collaborating with Samsung and LG to develop notch-less OLED display

Apple debuted the iPhone X in 2017, marking the company’s first smartphone with slim side bezels and a notable notch housing the selfie camera and Face ID technology. This model also eliminated the home button, doubling as a fingerprint scanner. The design persisted with minor changes until the recent introduction of the iPhone 14 Pro series, featuring a “dynamic island” design to modify the notch. However, it seems that this too will soon be replaced, as Apple moves closer to achieving an iPhone with no notch and completely bezel-less edges, offering users a true edge-to-edge display experience.

Apple is collaborating with Samsung and LG to create a bezel-less, notch-less display for future iPhones while retaining the use of OLED technology introduced with the iPhone 12 series. Unlike some Android rivals using curved displays, Apple aims to maintain flat displays. However, this design may lead to accidental touches due to the phone’s bezel-less appearance resembling a large glass slab when held in hand.

According to the report, Apple intends to incorporate the camera and essential sensors beneath the display, similar to Samsung’s approach with the Galaxy Z Fold 4. Achieving a bezel-less screen entails resolving thin film encapsulation (TFE) and under-panel camera (UPC) technologies. TFE is crucial for protecting the OLED from moisture and oxygen. While bezel-less smartphones are not entirely new, mainstream manufacturers have not widely adopted this technology in their commercial products. In 2021, Xiaomi showcased a concept smartphone featuring Quad Curved Waterfall Display tech, providing a fully immersive appearance by wrapping the edges with the display.

Specific details about the launch of the notch-less, bezel-less iPhone remain unclear, but it is speculated that Apple might take around a year to implement this design. In the meantime, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro series in September of this year. Leaks suggest that all four iPhones in the series will retain their current display sizes – 6.1 inches for iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, and 6.7 inches for iPhone 15 Plus and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Additionally, it is rumoured that the new phones will feature a dynamic island notch that can adjust its size based on notifications.

Apple may be internally testing a notch-less, bezel-less display, but its availability in a commercial product could be years away.