Even while everyone’s attention is focused on the iPhone 14, there are already speculations regarding what the iPhone 15 may bring, beginning with an under-display Face ID feature. This year, Apple is anticipated to unveil a new dual-punchhole design for the iPhone 14 Pro, but the company’s ultimate objective is to go to an under-display (UD) solution and free up even more screen real estate.
New UD camera technology is being developed by Samsung Display and OTI Lumionics, according to a new rumour from South Korean site TheElec. It will initially appear on the Galaxy Z Fold5 next year and then on the iPhone 15 Pro (tentative name) models from Apple in the autumn of 2023.
Sources from Korean site The Elec claim that Apple and Samsung might work together to develop an under-display Face ID technology for the iPhone 15 Pro. A single hole in the screen would be all that would be needed to allow Face ID to operate without obstruction.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because there have been reports of the iPhone 14 Pro doing something similar in the past. One theory floating around is that the next Pro iPhone will instead use two different cutouts: a hole-punch cutout to house the front camera and a pill-shaped one to house the facial recognition sensors.
The Elec claims that Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro might make use of the same foldable display technology as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. A selfie camera was hidden in the device’s display, although it was functional, but not as good as a hole-punch design.
Face ID doesn’t need a high-resolution image, thus the screen shouldn’t be a hindrance in most situations. In order for the phone to be able to detect faces with the same degree of security as unobscured Face ID sensors, Apple just has to make sure that all of the required light can flow through the screen.
Galaxy Z Fold 5 is due next year, while Galaxy Z Fold 4 will come in 2022, according to Elec. Samsung is also said to intend to deploy the technology in those devices. Samsung may be working on a new under-display Face ID system, but the article doesn’t say if the firm intends to upgrade Samsung’s existing camera.
It’s unfortunate that this rumour won’t be confirmed until the autumn of 2023, when the iPhone 15 line is slated to be released. But these aren’t the only indications we’ve received about the phone at this early stage.
It’s been speculated that this device might eventually do away with SIM cards, while other reports indicate that it could come with an optical zoom-improving periscope camera.
We’ll update you as soon as we learn more about the iPhone 15, as well as the iPhone 14, of course.
To create “microscopic transparent windows” in the cathode and OLED pixel layers, Samsung Display is said to be working with OTI Lumionics, a company that has developed a new generation of organic cathode patterning material (CPM). As a result, Apple is able to place its FaceID sensors behind the display, making it fully transparent. When unlocking the display, the IR sensor will work as usual, allowing users to enjoy a notch and cutout-free display.