A new report from Japanese news site Macotakara offers new details and speculation on this year’s iPhone refresh. According to today’s report, the previously rumored 5-inch iPhone is actually the high-end model that has been rumored time and again. The report also claims that Apple may call this high-end model the “iPhone Edition.”
This evening’s report explains that Apple is currently testing a variety of different prototypes for its flagship model for this year. Specifically, the company is said to be prototyping models with and without the Home button, as well as models with glass, ceramic, and aluminum chassis designs. Additionally, Apple is apparently testing models with LCD TFT and OLED displays.
Apple is said to be carrying out prototype testing in parallel with engineering validation testing, or EVT. In order to proceed to design validation testing, however, Apple reportedly needs more to time to procure materials needed to make final design decisions. Because of this, Macotakara says that production of the flagship iPhone may be late this year compared to previous years.
The report goes on to explain that a few things have been finalized at this point, including the concept of a 5-inch display, dual-cameras, and wireless charging. What seems to be happening here is that Macotakara is reporting the usable screen space, whereas other sources, such as KGI, have commonly referred to the total screen space including the function area. With the function area taken into account, it’s expected that the usable screen real estate will be somewhere around 5-inches or 5.1-inches.
Multiple prototype models exist for this model and the development continues to be carried out in parallel with EVT. The production level of development on various models are being done such as the models with IPS TFT, AMOLED, the model with or without home button, in addition to the models with a new glass, aluminum chassis, white ceramics etc.
As far as the display type goes, it seems as if OLED is the goal but that it depends on supply of the panels as to whether or not Apple ends up using that technology.
Macotakara says that the so-called “iPhone Edition” will be announced in September, as has been the case for all of the recent iPhone announcements. The iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are also expected at that event. The iPhone Edition, however, “may be very much behind” the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus in terms of actual release, something that was reported last week, as well.
What do you think of the possibility of Apple calling its flagship smartphone the iPhone Edition? Let us know down in the comments.
