iPhone 7S to rival Galaxy Note 7 with 5.8-inch OLED display and slimmer design

The tech rumour mill is going into overdrive as new speculations indicate a future iPhone, which could arrive in 2017 or 2018, will come packed with a larger 5.8 OLED screen -- bumping the Apple holy grail product to directly rival with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 in size.

Recent rumours had revealed Apple that would be using OLED display panels in its future iPhones, and KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had forecasted that Apple would not make use of AMOLED panels until 2019. However, a new report from Digitimes says that Apple may release an iPhone with a 5.8-inch OLED display earlier than expected, in 2017 or 2018, The Motley Fool reported.

The report indicates that the iPhone 7S, which is slated for release in September 2017, 0r the iPhone 8 of 2018, will feature the larger OLED display. The increase in display size of the iPhone 7S in 2017 would allow it to take on phablets like the Galaxy Note 7 that feature over 5.5-inch displays.

There are also suggestions that because OLED panels do not need extra backlight -- unlike the LCD screens that are used on current iPhones -- the bigger iPhones with OLED displays will sport a thinner design.

The source claims the Cupertino company is presently in talks with multiple companies such as Samsung Display, LG Display and Japan Display about manufacturing OLED screens for future iPhones. Digitimes added Apple will be shipping 50 million units of the 5.8-inch iPhones with OLED display in the starting year of its availability.

Ming-Chi Kuo had predicted that the iPhone 7 Plus would be released in two editions, one featuring a single-lens camera and another one with a dual-lens camera. The latter version is expected to be released with the iPhone Pro or iPhone 7 Pro moniker, and speculations now indicate this second generation iPhone Pro or iPhone 7S Pro is the one to feature the OLED screen.

Apple is expected to announce a new 4-inch called iPhone SE on March 21. The much speculated 9.7-inch iPad Pro is also expected to be unveiled at the same launch event.