It looks like LCD phone screens could soon be a thing of the past, at least on all but the most low-end models. Android phone makers largely moved away from the tech long ago, and while Apple held out longer on some of its handsets, a report suggests the final LCD iPhone – the iPhone SE (2022) – could soon be replaced by an OLED model.
This is according to Nikkei Asia, which claims that Apple has begun placing orders for OLED displays for the upcoming iPhone SE 4.
OLED displays can deliver greater contrast between blacks and whites than LCD ones, and often exhibit more vibrant colors, so in most ways they’re an upgrade, which is why so few phones now use LCD screens.
This would be a desirable change then, and it’s one we’ve heard of previously too, with several different previous sources pointing to an OLED display on the iPhone SE 4.
The iPhone SE 4 could land in 2025
But this latest leak doesn’t just add credence to those claims, it also makes us think the iPhone SE 4 will probably land next year, since if Apple has only just begun placing panel orders it’s unlikely to be ready in the next month or two – meaning a launch alongside the iPhone 16 on September 9 is very unlikely. But equally, that would mean the phone is in production, so we shouldn’t be waiting beyond 2025.
A launch in late 2024 could also be possible, but we haven't heard any leaks suggesting that, so our best guess is 2025, as we’ve previously heard that the iPhone SE 4 could land in 2025. That said, another leak suggested the SE 4 wouldn’t launch before 2026, so there’s still some uncertainty. We can only hope then that the lengthy wait for this phone will be over before too long.
In the meantime though, we’re likely to see the iPhone 16, the iPhone 16 Plus, the iPhone 16 Pro, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max on Monday, September 9. TechRadar will be covering the launch in full, so head back here on Monday for all the news and announcements.
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