The iPhone 14 series might bring the most significant redesign since 2017 when the iPhone X brought over the iPhone notch design. According to several reports, the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max will feature hole-punch displays. The latest one comes from Korea, with Samsung seen as the major winner for Apple’s initial hole-punch display orders.
In the same way, iPhone 14 display rumors have been going around for a while. What’s puzzling about all this discussion is that these rumors do not really explain a huge mystery. What happens to Face ID on iPhone 14 Pro models with hole-punch displays?
The regular iPhone 14 models will feature notch screens like the iPhone 13 series. The iPhone 13 feature smaller notches than ever, representing the first iPhone series that reduced the notch.
In other words, Apple should not ditch Face ID when the iPhone 14 series arrives. The iPhone’s 3D face recognition is a significant advantage over the iPhone, and a sophisticated authentication method not available on Android.
Assuming Apple does go forward with the rumored iPhone 14 display redesign, we’d expect next year’s Pro models to have Face ID support. But rather than needing a small bezel like the notch, some of the Face ID components may go under the display. That’s just speculation at this time, but it’s based on Face ID and Touch ID innovations that Apple has already patented.
The iPhone 14 Pro display rumors list the same potential OLED screen suppliers as a report from a few weeks ago. According to Business Korea, Samsung Display, LG Display, and BOE are the three screen makers that can supply hole-punch displays for the iPhone 14 Pro handsets.
Samsung makes 100% of the OLED panels that Apple uses for the iPhone 13 Pro and Samsung has been using hole-punch OLED panels for several years. Furthermore, Samsung has been the main promoter of this type of panel in mobile devices. Most Android smartphones are equipped with such panels right now.
LG hasn’t yet started making hole-punch screens, the report notes. But the manufacturing technology is easy for the company. LG reportedly focuses on keeping Apple as a client of its LTPO TFT displays for the iPhone Pro models. However, it’s unclear whether LG will supply screens for the iPhone 14 Pro. The LTPO screens are the OLED panels that support dynamic refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
BOE is the least likely to win big from Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro display design change, according to a report. The Chinese screen supplier has been manufacturing hole-punch screens. But BOE’s OLED screen quality is inferior to Samsung and LG. BOE is reportedly working on LTPO OLED screens for Apple, with production likely to start in 2023 at the earliest.
