- Apple is ordering displays in 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch sizes for next year's iPhones, according to a new report from ET News.
- This suggests Apple's successors to the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max will come in new screen sizes.
- The report echoes previous predictions from well-respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who also reported that Apple is planning to shake up the screen sizes for its next-generation iPhones.
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Apple could be preparing to make a big change to the iPhone's screen size in 2020, potentially marking the most significant update to its smartphones' displays since the iPhone X launched in 2017.
Apple is ordering organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panels in 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch sizes for its next-generation iPhone from partners Samsung and LG, according to a new report from Korean news outlet ET News.
That would mean next year's iPhones will come in two new size options compared to the current lineup. Apple's least expensive new iPhone, the iPhone 11, features a 6.1-inch liquid crystal display (LCD), while the more expensive iPhone 11 Pro has a 5.8-inch OLED screen and the iPhone 11 Pro Max includes a 6.5-inch OLED display.
If Apple keeps with its established pattern, the 5.4-inch iPhone reportedly launching next year will probably be the successor to the iPhone 11 Pro, since that's the smallest smartphone in the company's current lineup. This would also suggest that the 6.7-inch rumored iPhone could succeed the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max, while the 6.1-inch display is likely for Apple's expected sequel to the 6.1-inch iPhone 11.
The report also suggests that Apple will use OLED displays on all of its new iPhones, marking a departure from the last two years in which it has used LCD screens for its cheaper iPhones.
Apple did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
It's not the first time reports have suggested that Apple is planning to shake up the sizes of its new iPhones next year. Ming-Chi Kuo, a trusted analyst with TF International Securities known for his Apple predictions, said back in June that Apple was planning to launch iPhones in 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch sizes in 2020.
Apple has largely left the size and design of its iPhones unchanged over the past two years. The iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max, for example, have screens that are the same sizes as those found on last year's iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
Although Apple made some design changes to the iPhone 11 family compared to last year's models, such as updating the color options, adding a new textured matte back for the iPhone 11 Pro, and redesigning the camera module, the overall look and feel is still similar to that of the iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max. It sounds like that could change next year with the rumored iPhone 12, which is expected to be a more significant update that will also include 5G support and three-dimensional cameras in addition to new screen sizes.
If the reports from ET News and Kuo are to be believed, it seems as if Apple's successor to the iPhone 11 Pro will be noticeably smaller. It could be the most compact iPhone that Apple has released since the 4.7-inch iPhone 8 in 2017.
Apple typically announces its new flagship iPhones in September. Other than successors to the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max, Apple is also rumored to be launching a successor to the more affordable iPhone SE in 2020.
