Apple Reportedly Developing Larger, Curved iPhone Displays With Enhanced Sensors

Bloomberg reports, Apple is developing the next generation iPhone which is set to include a larger display with curved glass. The display will reportedly also come with enhanced sensors that can detect different levels of pressure.

A person familiar with the plans says the two models planned for release in the second half of next year would feature larger displays with glass curved downward at the edges.

The proposed two models will feature 4.7 and 5.5 inch screens, respectively. The 5.5 inch screen would approach the size of the Galaxy Note 3’s 5.7 inch screen. Last month, Samsung also released their Galaxy Round which features a curved screen.

The person familiar with the plans says that the phones are still under development and probably won’t be released until Q3 2014.

In September, Apple broke its past routine by releasing two models of the iPhone, the 5S and 5C. The iPhone 5S coming in as their top of the line iPhone with more advanced features and the iPhone 5C as the lower cost option, essentially replacing the iPhone 5.

Demand for the iPhone 5S has proven to be significantly greater than that of the 5C. Bloomberg forecasts that Apple’s holiday quarter will be the slowest since 2008.

The new enhanced sensors for a future iPhone display continue to be under testing and will unlikely be ready for the next iPhone launch, the person said. The touch screen technologies offered in the display of the first iPhone, which debuted in 2007,were developed with Taipei-based TPK Holding Co.

Last week, Apple confirmed that it will open a new plant in Arizona to make components for its devices.

Merrimack, New Hampshire-based GT Advanced Technologies said Apple will prepay $578 million for furnaces to make sapphire materials used in smartphones, with the iPhone maker getting some exclusive rights.