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Apple Leak Reveals Massive New iPhone

This article is more than 6 years old.

Nikkei has done it again. Following its big Apple revelations earlier this week, the world’s largest financial newspaper has followed up with something even bigger… literally. 

In a new report Nikkei says next year Apple will release its biggest iPhone yet with a monster 6.1-inch display and it is likely to be Apple’s cheapest iPhone as well.

Benajmin Geskin

Citing “a source privy to the company's product designs” Nikkei states the 6.1-inch iPhone will cut costs by using an LCD display rather than the more expensive OLED introduced with the wallet burning iPhone X. It will also revert to an aluminium chassis which means no wireless charging, but also add benefit by dodging Apple’s truly horrific glass back repair charges.

Interestingly Nikkei also believes this new iPhone will be put together by a new manufacturer. Casetek, which is a subsidiary of iPhone assembler Pegatron, has “a good chance” to win the contract with a second Nikkei source saying the company has been testing casings for a new LCD iPhone model for some time. Casetek has made iPads in the past, but this would be its first iPhone.

Such an arrangement would see Apple reduce its dependence on both Hon Hai Precision Industry (aka Foxconn) and Samsung, which has had Apple over a barrel by being the only company able to supply OLED displays in large enough quantities to meet iPhone X demand.

Benjamin Geskin

While Nikkei repeatedly mentions the cost saving measures in this 6.1-inch iPhone, it doesn’t go so far as to name a price. But with ever larger displays becoming standard, I suspect there’s every chance this new model could be the ‘iPhone SE2’. Though Apple may choose a new moniker given its shake up this year given iPhone SE2 doesn’t exactly trip off the tongue.

And the size increases don’t stop there because Nikkei finishes with a final teaser claiming Apple will indeed add a so-called ‘iPhone X Plus’ to its line-up in 2018. It says the final size has yet to be agreed, but it will be either 6.2 or 6.3-inches.

All of which sounds great apart from the fact Apple has been arguably the only remaining champion of premium smaller smartphones. Which might just open the door for Samsung and its plans for a power packed 5-inch Galaxy S9 Mini...

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