Since time immemorial, Apple has been dependent on the likes of Samsung and LG for the best of its iPhone displays, while BOE proofed itself as the manufacturer of the lower-end models. This was so because quality has always been one of the bashed hurdles when it comes to BOE. But hey, buckle up, with the possible-iPhone-17-promostly-going-to-BOE!
Rumors are there that BOE might be in line to manufacture some 50 million LTPO OLED screens for the iPhone 17 Pro. The significance of this is that till now, BOE has primarily concentrated on LTPS OLED panels for Apple's regular and 'Plus' iPhones. What sent it to the big leagues of the Pro model is anyone's guess in that, BOE's records hadn't been so great on quality and quantity in previous years. News surfaced much recently about the 40 million LTPS OLED order of Apple BOE having fallen woefully short to.
This massive order would require BOE, should it get this far, to work awfully hard to meet truly unreasonable specifications on time. Assuming BOE does well against all odds, it would mean the upgrading of some of their production facilities and put a certain amount of pressure on long-standing Samsung and LG monopoly in Apple's display supply chain. These are all, by the way, just rumors at this stage, and accordingly, we should always be cautious about such news. The experience of BOE, on the other hand, goes back with gigantic obligations but with lousy track records.
In terms of displays, a general upgrade is said to be coming to the entire iPhone 17 family. Apple appears to be planning LTPO displays for all models with smoother high refresh rates across the board. This is an alteration likely aimed at upping sales, though one must keep in mind that the iPhone 16 was already a top seller in the early 2025 period. How much this hardware alteration weighs will be determined, but, for now, it is great news for those eying a new iPhone.
Apple is not just changing displays but changing a whole generation. Four new iPhone 17 models are now on the block, so goodbye to the 'Plus' – welcome to a new ultra-thin 'Air' model. A summation on the rumored display sizes is:
- iPhone 17: 6.27 inches (considerable upgrade from the previous 6.12 inches)
- iPhone 17 Air: 6.55 inches
- iPhone 17 Pro: 6.27 inches (the same size as the standard iPhone 17)
- iPhone 17 Pro Max: A mammoth 6.86 inches (Apple might call it a roundoff of 6.9 inches anyway)
Welcome news is that the standard iPhone 17 is going up to a larger screen size, thereby getting closer to the size of the Pro model. This should technically be achieved by Apple making some bezels thinner in order to give people more screen without the phone itself being bigger.
The iPhone 17 Air is set to shine as a true show-stopper. Incredibly slim at a rumored 5.5mm, thinner than Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, it may also come with some exclusive features, including a new custom modem. In terms of design, the Pro models are expected to see their biggest revamp in years, featuring a horizontal camera bar at the top. The iPhone 17 Air is likely to follow this design language yet will probably only be equipped with a single-lens camera, while the Pro models will sport a triple-lens setup with LiDAR.
With the standard iPhone 17 not expected to stray too much from last year's design (giving or taking the increased size), the remainder of the lineup will definitely be quite different from its predecessors. And even beyond this one, there are whispers regarding that 20th-anniversary iPhone, which is promising an all-screen design that glows from all four corners-think futuristic!
