The Elec
By MacRumors Staff
The Elec Articles
'All-Screen' iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development
Apple's Korean suppliers have begun developing smartphone under-display cameras (UDC), paving the way for the first iPhone with a true "all-screen" appearance. According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use. A UDC differs from a typical front ...
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Both iPhone 16 Pro Models to Feature Tetraprism Zoom Lens
Apple is expected to bring tetraprism camera technology to both iPhone 16 Pro models next year, enabling at least 5x optical zoom and 25x digital zoom on the Telephoto lens. According to a new report by The Elec, Apple will add LG Innotek as another supplier of the folded zoom module used in the technology, in an attempt to secure production yields for the increased number of units...
iPhone 16 May Feature More Power-Efficient Samsung OLED Display
Next year's iPhone 16 could feature a more power-efficient display thanks to a new OLED material set that is reportedly being developed by Samsung specifically for Apple. A material set includes a variety of components for OLED screens, such as capping layers (CPL), which adjust the optical characteristics of the screen. Each component is produced by a specialist manufacturer and supplied to ...
OLED iPad and MacBook Rumored to Feature Specialized Display Materials
Future iPad Pro and MacBook models equipped with OLED panels will adopt new, specialized display materials, The Elec reports. Apple has apparently collaborated with LG Display to integrate new OLED material sets in some of its future devices, including forthcoming iPad Pro and MacBook models. LG's "RDE" OLED material set will apparently be used in the upcoming 11- and 13-inch iPad Pro...
Samsung Begins Mass Producing OLED Displays for iPhone 15
Apple's main OLED supplier Samsung has received mass production approval for the displays for all four models in Apple's iPhone 15 series, which are expected to be released in September. Korean-language based The Elec reports that Samsung Display was granted approval on August 1, ahead of rivals LG Display and BOE. LG Display, which is supplying OLED panels for both iPhone 15 Pro models, has ...
Apple Reportedly Asks Suppliers for 'Bezelless' OLED iPhone Displays
Apple has asked its suppliers to develop "bezelless" OLED display panels for future iPhone models, The Elec reports. iPhone 15 Pro Max dummy model with thinner bezels compared to an iPhone 14 Pro Max, via Unbox Therapy. Apple apparently asked Samsung and LG Display to develop the new OLED display panels, intending to implement them while maintaining the iPhone's current design, in contrast...
MicroLED Apple Watch Ultra Now Rumored to Launch in 2026, Not 2025
Apple is known to be working on an updated version of the Apple Watch Ultra that uses a next-generation microLED display, but the device has again been postponed due to manufacturing issues, according to market research firm TrendForce (via The Elec). Information shared in April by display analyst Ross Young suggested that an Apple Watch Ultra with microLED display would launch in the second ...
Falling Mac Sales Have Apple's OLED Panel Suppliers Spooked
Apple plans to transition Macs and iPads to OLED displays over the next few years, but a new report out of Korea claims panel suppliers are holding back key investment in next-gen OLED production lines over rising concerns about slumping Mac sales. Apple will launch its first OLED iPads next year and South Korean panel makers intend to use their existing Gen 6 OLED lines to cover Apple's...
2024 iPad Pro Models Likely to Debut Thinner Hybrid OLED Panel Tech
Apple is set to benefit from new OLED panel etching technology being developed by LG that will allow for slimmer devices while lowering production costs, according to Korea's The Elec. The new hybrid technology reportedly combines rigid OLED glass substrates with flexible OLED thin-film encapsulation (TFE), making the panels thinner than rigid OLED panels. The process also incurs lower...
Apple Halted M2 Chip Production in January Amid 'Plummeting' Mac Sales
Apple halted production of its M2 series chips at the start of 2023 following a pronounced slump in global demand for MacBooks, claims a new report out of Korea. Facing "plummeting" Mac sales amid a severe PC market downturn, Apple in January completely suspended production of its custom-designed M2 series processors that power new MacBook Pro and Mac mini models and the latest MacBook Air,...
OLED MacBook Air Reportedly Now in Development as Apple Plans to Bring New Display Technology to Multiple Product Lines
Samsung Display is developing a 13.3-inch OLED panel for a future MacBook Air model amid plans to switch several of Apple's product lines to the display technology, The Elec reports. LG Display is apparently developing OLED displays for both of the next-generation iPad Pro models in 11- and 13-inch sizes, and lacks sufficient production capacity for the MacBook Air, leading Apple to choose ...
Apple OLED Supplier Samsung to Start iPhone 15 Panel Production One Month Earlier Than Planned
Apple OLED supplier Samsung Display will start manufacturing OLED panels for the iPhone 15 series a month earlier than planned due to production problems with one of Apple's other suppliers, according to a new report out of Korea. According to The Elec, Samsung will now begin manufacturing the OLED panels in May instead of June to compensate for the lack of planned initial orders from BOE,...
Next Year's OLED iPad Pro Models Could Have These Eye-Watering Starting Prices
Apple's 2024 OLED iPad Pro models could be vastly more expensive than its existing iPad Pros and even more costly than some MacBook Pros currently on sale, claims a new Korean report. According to industry sources cited by The Elec, Apple is already considering its pricing strategy for next year's two OLED iPad Pro models, with current estimates starting at $1,500 and $1,800 for the 11-inch...
6.1-Inch iPhone SE 4 OLED Panel to Be Supplied by China's BOE
Apple partner BOE will supply the OLED displays for the fourth-generation iPhone SE, which is expected to be released next year, according to The Elec. China-based BOE reportedly missed the initial volume of OLED panels destined for this year's iPhone 15 series due to production issues, with Samsung and LG claiming the majority of orders. Now it is looking to make up for it by focusing on...
Next Year's iPhone 16 Pro Still on Track to Feature Under-Display Face ID, Followed By Under-Display Selfie Camera in 2026
Apple is still on track to switch to under-display Face ID technology next year that will provide more usable display area on iPhone 16 Pro models, claims a new report out of Korea. Apple is set to transition to under-screen Face ID on iPhone 16 Pro models in 2024, followed by under-screen Face ID and an under-screen front camera on iPhone 18 Pro models in 2026, according to respected...
2024 OLED iPad Pros Set to Be a Lot Pricier Due to Costly Panel Production Process
Apple's upcoming OLED iPad Pro models are likely to be significantly more expensive than existing OLED devices of a similar size due to the costly new production processes involved, claims a new report out of Korea. Apple is next year widely expected to launch new 11.1-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models featuring OLED instead of LCD displays, and its panel procurement will account for the...
iPhone 15 Pro Max Periscope Lens Coming to Both iPhone 16 Pro Models in 2024
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will be the sole Apple smartphone of 2023 to get a periscope camera lens and benefit from greatly enhanced optical zoom, with the hardware only set to become a feature of both Pro models next year, claims a new Korean report. According to The Elec, Apple intends a "Folded Zoom" periscope telephoto lens to be an exclusive feature in the iPhone 15 Pro Max this year,...
iPhone 16 Pro Rumored to Feature Under-Display Face ID Next Year
The iPhone 16 Pro will feature under-display Face ID technology to provide more usable display area, according to The Elec. The Korean-language report explains that Apple will move the components required for Face ID authentication directly under the iPhone's display in 2024. When not in use, the TrueDepth camera for Face ID will not be visible under the display, which will appear...
Samsung Prioritizing Development of OLED Displays for Rumored 2024 iPad Pro
Samsung is prioritizing the development of OLED displays that Apple plans to use in upcoming iPad models, according to a report today by The Elec. According to the report, Samsung has prioritized the development of a particular display type that uses two-stack tandem OLED panels, which is what Apple plans to use in future iPad and Mac models. Prioritization of this display type means the...
Apple Could Adopt Hybrid OLED Technology for Future iPads
Apple's rumored plans to transition to OLED technology for future iPad models could involve using "hybrid" OLED technology that combines both rigid and flexible OLED panel materials, according to The Elec (original Korean-language version). The report claims that Apple is reluctant to rely solely on the flexible OLED technology it uses in its iPhone models, as the panels have a tendency to...