Apple may be planning its first serious departure from its usual iPhone design with a new device planned for 2017, according to a note obtained by AppleInsider from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The device’s launch is far off, but Kuo is worth heeding, given his strong track record in previous predictions using what appears to be inside information; the most recent example being Apple’s new iPhone SE. Kuo says that the 2017 iPhone device will feature a curved display that could cover both its front and its back, as well as AMOLED (active-matrix organic light-emitting diode) display technology, which will replace the iPhone’s traditional TFT LCD (thin-film-transistor liquid-crystal display) setup.

The new device is also expected to feature a wireless charging capability and enhanced biometric scanning including facial recognition and iris scanning. While Apple was the pioneering agent of the mobile biometrics revolution with its iPhones’ Touch ID fingerprint scanning system, these other modalities are rising in prominence, and Apple’s embrace of them – if true – would probably be a prudent measure to keep up with the cutting edge trends of the premium smartphone market.

While the supply of traditionally scarce AMOLED materials remains a question mark, Kuo evidently believes this new iPhone will launch at some point in 2017. In the meantime, the new iPhone expected to launch this autumn will likely be another iteration of essentially the same model that has served as the premium market’s mainstay, with modestly improved specifications.

Source: AppleInsider