Revelation: Apple's borderless iPhone may delay the iPhone 18 and it is difficult to achieve

Apple pursues the ultimate iPhone design of "a piece of complete glass": Challenges and prospects

Former Apple chief designer Joni Ivey once envisioned a completely bezel-free iPhone, like "a complete piece of glass." This goal was once hoped for the iPhone 18 to achieve, but it seems very difficult at the moment.

Apple's goal is to allow the display to cover the entire front and extend seamlessly to the side of the phone to create a unified visual effect. Although Ivy has left, Apple is still working hard to realize this "a piece of glass" concept, striving to see no borders on the front and only screens.

The iPhone X is an important step towards Apple's goal, but the subsequent progress is slow. Although the border is shrinking, it is still clearly visible. To completely eliminate the border, you need to use a curved screen to wrap the side of the device. The Apple Watch partially achieves this effect, but Apple expects more from the iPhone, hoping that the display will extend to the curved edge.

According to TheElec, Apple had planned to achieve zero-bezel design on at least one iPhone 18 model by 2026, but display suppliers have difficulty meeting its requirements.

Samsung Display and LG Display are developing bezel-free OLED screens for Apple, but due to technical limitations, there is still uncertainty in the launch of zero-bezel OLED iPhones in 2026.

Industry insiders pointed out that if we want to achieve zero borders in 2026, Apple should have completed technical discussions with domestic panel manufacturers, but it is still in the discussion stage.

Even if the goal seems feasible, Apple still faces many challenges: ensuring waterproofness at the connection between the curved screen and the body; avoiding the "magnifying glass effect" at the edges of the curved screen; ensuring the antenna works properly; and solving the problem of vulnerability at the edges of the screen.

The latest news shows that Apple may still retain punch-hole cameras in 2026, because under-screen camera technology may not meet Apple's quality standards, but this is still Apple's long-term goal.

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