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For This Year's iPhone, Apple Is Ditching Lightning Connector and Home Button, But Embracing USB Type-C and Curved Display (wsj.com)

Posted by msmash on from the shape-of-things-to-come dept.

Apple has decided to adopt a flexible display for at least one model of the new iPhone, reports WSJ. From the report: People with direct knowledge of Apple's production plans said the Cupertino, Calif., company has decided to go ahead with the technology, and it will release a phone model using the OLED screens this year (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled; alternate source). The technology allows manufacturers to bend screens in ways they couldn't previously -- such as by introducing a curve at the edge of the phone as in some Samsung models. However, once the phone is manufactured, the OLED screen can't be bent or folded by the user, at least with current technology. Using OLED displays would allow Apple to introduce a phone with a new look to fuel sales. They said Apple would introduce other updates including a USB-C port for the power cord and other peripheral devices instead of the company's original Lightning connector. The models would also do away with a physical home button, they said. Those updates would give the iPhone features already available on other smartphones.

9 of 223 comments (clear)

  1. s7 edge by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So they are making an s7 edge without a home button.

  2. frist poast! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    new year new connector new headphones again!

  3. Apple finally adopts USB?? by NotInHere · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Has hell frozen over?

  4. Another new headphone connector! by nickovs · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If this is true (it seems to be just a rumour) then it will be two years in a row that Apple made users' existing headphones obsolete. That would be brave/arrogant/foolish even by Apple's standards.

    --
    If intelligent life is too complex to evolve on its own, who designed God?
    1. Re:Another new headphone connector! by fred6666 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They should have kept the 3.5mm jack at least until they switch to USB-C (and I would argue even after that). But dropping the 3.5mm jack before switching to a standard digital connector was stupid.

    2. Re:Another new headphone connector! by tlhIngan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Honestly the sooner they drop lightning and other proprietary connectors the better

      If we stuck to "standard connectors" we'd still be using micro USB. The creation of lightning showed that it's possible to make a more convenient connector for users, and thus we have USB C, whose biggest claim to fame is it goes in either way. Unlike say, a certain 4th dimensional rectangular connector at the other end that doesn't go in until the 3rd or 4th try.

      No, proprietary isn't as good, but sometimes if you want innovation, you have to allow it. If people didn't care about connector orientation, then we wouldn't have USB-C today.

  5. Sealed for freshness by MrLogic17 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Sounds like with the addition of wireless charging, lack of headphone jack, and removing the home button - they are on track to make a phone that is a totally sealed slab. Once the last remaining physical connector goes away, it would be trivial to make a waterproof, dust-proof device.

    Side benefit for Apple - even harder to replace the battery.

  6. iCandor by argStyopa · · Score: 1, Insightful

    "Using OLED displays would allow Apple to introduce a phone with a new look to fuel sales"

    Note it's not to improve anything substantial in terms of usability or quality or crazy stuff like that. It's just to improve their bottom line.

    I think it's rather honest of them to embrace and admit that, is "iCandor" trademarked yet?

    Of course, *I* won't buy one and the legions of iZealots won't care.

    --
    -Styopa
  7. Curved screens... by Bartles · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...are a hideous example of function following form. The curve makes it difficult to protect the phone, and do not improve functionality in any way. It's something that needs to go away.