Apple's First Bezel-Less Full Screen iPhone Reportedly Delayed Beyond 2026

Apple reportedly planned to unveil a zero-bezel OLED iPhone by 2026.

Written by Nithya P Nair, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 26 December 2024 12:04 IST

Apple's First Bezel-Less Full Screen iPhone Reportedly Delayed Beyond 2026

Photo Credit: Apple

iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models boast narrow bezels

Highlights

Apple could delay the release of its upcoming bezel-free iPhone
iPhone 17 may not feature bezel-free display
The new design is expected to provide a true full screen display

Apple is reportedly working on a new flagship iPhone that will offer little to no bezels. The device, which is currently in the early stages of development, was expected to see light sometime in 2026, but a new report from Korea suggests that it is facing development delays. Apple and other Android phone manufacturers are promoting new phones with slimmer bezels. The latest iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models boast slimmer bezels than their predecessors.

Apple Was Hoping to Unveil Zero-Bezel iPhone in 2026

The Elec (Korean), citing multiple industry sources, reports that the launch of Apple's zero bezel OLED iPhone may not launch in 2026. The technology to completely eliminate the bezels from iPhone screens is not yet reportedly developed enough. The brand had reportedly planned to launch a bezel-free OLED iPhone by 2026. The publication states that this timeline currently appears unfeasible, considering the technical discussion with domestic panel manufacturers Samsung Display and LG Display is still underway.

Apple reportedly wants to adopt a zero-bezel display that maintains the current flat display and angular iPhone design. However, the screen is designed to flow down the side of the product, similar to the Apple Watch display. In order to achieve this, Samsung Display and LG Display have to develop thin film encapsulation (TFE) technology to protect OLEDs from moisture and oxygen. They also need an optical clear adhesive (OCA) process for bonding with a transparent double-sided adhesive film. The development of OCA technology is said to be slow.

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All existing iPhone OLED bezel circuits have to be folded down below the display to implement a zero-bezel display. This requires securing space for the antenna and resolving interference issues. Additionally, other design changes like the adoption of an under-display camera system are likely to impact the development of the new screen.

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If Apple succeeds in developing a bezel-free iPhone, we can expect the iPhone 18 or iPhone 19 to become the first model to be bezel-free. The new design is expected to provide a true full screen display with no bezels and an under-display camera system.

iPhone 16

KEY SPECS
NEWS

Display 6.10-inch

Processor Apple A18

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1179x2556 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 16 Pro Max

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Massive screen size
Brilliant display
Performance beast
Camera Control is a boon
Fantastic battery life

Bad
Big phone for one-hand use
Expensive
No Apple Intelligence at launch
Slow-wired charging support

Read detailed Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max review

Display 6.90-inch

Processor Apple A18 Pro

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 48-megapixel + 12-megapixel + 48-megapixel

RAM 8GB

Storage 256GB, 512GB, 1TB

OS iOS 18

Resolution 1320x2868 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: Apple, Samsung Display, LG, Bezel less iPhone

Nithya P Nair

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Nithya P Nair is a journalist with more than five years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in business and technology beats. A foodie at heart, Nithya loves exploring new places (read cuisines) and sneaking in Malayalam movie dialogues to spice up conversations. More