Rumors, news and updates pertaining to the iPhone 2017 lineup is causing ruckus in the mobile world. It appears that one of Apple's suppliers have hinted at vital information on the features of the new iPhone. Speculations of the device having a new screen are escalating, as well as the idea that the fresh spec is Apple's saving grace.
At least one company in Apple Inc.'s supply chain is already reaping the benefit from plans to outfit next year's version of the iPhone with a brighter, higher-definition screen. And the first evidence came last week when Applied Materials Inc. reported an almost fourfold leap in orders for equipment to make displays, according to a post by The Times of India.
The move is an early sign that producers are retooling their manufacturing to meet Apple's demand for a new kind of organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, screen. The technology will allow Apple to upgrade the biggest component of its main product, reports the same post.
2017 iPhone May Feature Edge-to-Edge Display With Embedded Touch ID Sensor and Front Camera https://t.co/okJvXfui8y pic.twitter.com/CKK4Bq2KZ1
— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) May 11, 2016
"Some tooling or machinery orders now set up suppliers for the fall of 2017," said Gene Munster, a Minneapolis-based analyst at Piper Jaffray. "It sets up the iPhone in the fall of 2017 to be more of an impactful upgrade than the fall of this year." Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller though declined to comment.
It seems like the notion of Apple gearing up to produce one of the highlighted segments for the tech firm is finally raising the alarm and awareness for its competitors. Apple needs new features to rekindle growth while the smartphone market slows down, as consumers take longer to upgrade their handsets, Bloomberg reports.
The company's quarterly sales fell for the first time in 13 years in the three months through March as iPhone demand dwindled. Investors are divided over whether the decline shows that smartphone sales have peaked or whether current customers are waiting for the new iPhone model before they buy.
Meanwhile, "It's not a peak or a one-time event," said Applied Materials Chief Executive Officer Gary Dickerson. "This is going to be sustainable growth. We all know who is the leader in terms of mobile products."
