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Rumor: Apple to release three new iPhone models in 2018, 6.1-inch unit could feature LCD screen, metal back

The rumor mill is churning and it’s thought that Apple will release three iPhones in 2018, including two OLED models and one LCD model that could feature a metal back like the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, reports Nikkei.

Nikkei has cited an anonymous source “privy to the company’s product designs,” the source stating that one of Apple’s 2018 models will boast a 6.1-inch LCD display while the two OLED models will measure in at 5.8 inches and either 6.2 or 6.3 inches.

Apple’s LCD model will boast a metal back that will “come in several colors,” with the body for the device potentially being manufactured by Casetek, a Pegatron subsidiary.


The rumors are in line with previous details shared in a research not by KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo, albeit there’s some variance in size predictions for the three devices.

Kuo has stated that Apple will introduce three iPhones in 2018: an OLED model that measures in at 5.8 inches like the current iPhone X, an OLED model that measures in at 6.5 inches that will serve as a sort of “iPhone X Plus,” and a 6.1-inch model that features an LCD display.

Kuo has also predicted that all three models will feature full-screen edge-to-edge designs as well as TrueDepth camera systems like the one found on the iPhone X. The analyst has made no mention of a different casing material, as the current iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus all feature glass backs to support wireless charging.

A 6.1-inch LCD model with a metal body presumably made of aluminum would not be able to work with wireless charging, and it is not clear if Apple is willing to take a step back and remove a new key feature from future iPhones.

Apple is thought to be en route to releasing two new iPhone models for 2018, so the prediction for a third device comes as a bit of a surprise.

Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

Via MacRumors and Nikkei