iPhone 7 Rumors: Apple Patent Points to Curved Screen and Flexible Display
Apple was recently awarded a smartphone patent it filed in 2013 that features a handset with a curved screen.
A leaked image showing a handset with a curved screen and flexible display from a patent Apple filed in 2013 could indicate the iPhone 7 may feature a flexible display and side wall screens.
The schematics, which features a curved display similar to the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, may give the iPhone 7 a flexible screen that will be able to show even more content compared to Apple's competition, without having to increase the its screen size.
Based on the drawing, the handset's screen would be able to fold to make images and video appear as if they were in a continuous loop.
With the patent in hand, Apple could, in theory, create the iPhone 7 in a cylindrical or spherical shape, and even manufacture the phone entirely out of glass, described by tech patent blog, Patently Apple as "an advanced glass wraparound display design."
In a paradigm shift in smartphone technology, the Cupertino, California tech giant may even opt to install a second screen behind the outer display to create 3D images, as well as use a gesture-based password interface instead of the traditional alpha-numerics code or biometrics, according to a Phone Arena report.
Based on rumors surrounding the iPhone 7, the device will ship with iOS 10, Apple's new mobile operating system set to be unveiled at the June 2016 WWDC. It is likely to have an A10 processor and an M10 motion co-processor, as well.
Other speculations peg it as having a waterproof armor made out of water repellant coating, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor under its Gorilla Glass display, a reversible USB charger, and an e-SIM instead of a physical SIM.
The iPhone 7 is reportedly set to be released in September 2016 and may cost anywhere between $817 to $1059, depending on the variant purchased.
