Apple is reportedly planning a major design change for the iPhone 8, according to reports claiming that the company's next smartphone could feature a revolutionary new build.
Sources speaking to the Korea Herald newspaper have claimed that the company is planning a plastic screen for the iPhone 8 as it looks to build a curved screen into its next blockbuster smartphone.
Such a change would mean ditching the traditional aluminium and glass build seen in previous iPhone devices.
A curved-screen design would bring the iPhone 8 alongside Samsung’s flagship devices, as both the Galaxy S6 and S7 releases have curved screens which show notifications along the side of the display.
This would finally allow Apple to achieve its dream of building a smartphone with no bezels, featuring a truly edge-to-edge display.
The report also suggests that Apple will be introducing multiple versions of the iPhone 8, with the curved OLED display edition joining two other versions that closer resemble the existing iPhone builds.
Ironically, the sources claim that the brains behind the curved OLED displays will be Apple’s biggest rival.
The South Korean firm’s Samsung Display arm is reportedly capable of supplying around 100 million units to Apple for the new device.
Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive reportedly wants the 2017 iPhone "to appear like a single sheet of glass," as part of a major design shake-up.
The source added that the next iPhone may also include use new sensing technology to make the most of the curved screen.
This would allow the phone to respond when users touch any side of the device, for example to open an notification or reply to a message.
However the source also noted that Apple may not adopt this technology for the iPhone 8, saving it for another future device.
Speculation around the iPhone 8 has been building steadily in recent weeks, despite Apple only releasing the iPhone 7 a few months ago.
Recent reports have claimed that Apple’s next device may also ditch the physical home button seen in previously iPhone releases for an embedded design that would allow a full-screen display.
This would also include new ‘ultrasonic’ imaging to allow fingerprint detection through the display for the first time.
The iPhone 8 should also feature powerful wireless charging for the first time, according to a report released last week, allowing users to power up their device without the need for wires.
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