(Credit: PCMag)
Apple will update its lowest-cost iPhone SE with an OLED screen in 2025, according to the latest report from Asia Nikkei.
Rumors about a sub-$500 iPhone SE getting a more advanced screen were floating around earlier this year as suppliers were bidding on the project. Things now appear to be moving forward, with an iPhone SE 4 slated to debut next year.
Citing multiple sources, Nikkei says "Apple has begun placing orders for OLED displays for the upcoming iPhone SE from China's BOE Technology Group and South Korea's LG Display."
The move would see the end of LCD production for iPhones in Japan, where Japan Display and Sharp currently produce them.
Currently, Samsung, LG, and BOE are Apple’s manufacturing partners for its iPhone OLED panels, with Samsung accounting for about 50% of the total. Apple first added OLED to the iPhone X in 2017 and has continued to add the technology to more of its devices since then.
The next lower-cost iPhone SE is also rumored to have a 6.7-inch display, up from 4.7 inches. One way the device is expected to keep its entry-level price is by reusing existing display panels. The phone could also add USB-C for charging, ditch Touch ID for Face ID, and add an Action button to keep closer parity with more recent iPhone models.
Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone 16 and 16 Pro on Sept. 9 at its “Glowtime” event, along with new Apple Watches and 4th-gen AirPods.