2018 6.5-Inch iPhone to Be Similar in Size to iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 12 Could Feature Horizontal Face ID Support

Apple's upcoming 6.5-inch OLED iPhone, one of the three smartphones planned for 2018, will be about "the same size" as the iPhone 8 Plus, according to a "reliable supplier source" cited by Japanese blog Mac Otakara.

The site says the 6.5-inch device could be 0.2mm thicker than the iPhone 8 Plus due to the rear camera design, however, which will include a vertical dual-lens camera. The iPhone 8 Plus measures in at 7.5mm thick, while the iPhone X, which the new 6.5-inch iPhone will be modeled after, measures in at 7.7mm.

iphone65mockup

A mockup of the 6.5-inch OLED iPhone, via Mac Otakara

When it comes to dimensions, the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus is 6.24 inches long and 3.07 inches wide, but on that device, there are sizable bezels at the top and bottom. On the 6.5-inch iPhone, which can be thought of as a sort of "iPhone X Plus," there will be slimmer bezels and no Home button, with the display spanning from edge-to-edge.

As for the next-generation 5.8-inch OLED device that will follow the iPhone X, Mac Otakara says it will use the same body as the current iPhone X, but it will feature a larger rear camera lens attributable to a bigger camera sensor.

Rumors have suggested that the third device Apple plans on introducing, a lower-cost iPhone with an LCD display, will measure in at 6.1 inches, but Mac Otakara believes it could instead be a bit smaller at six inches.

It will feature Face ID, but it may only have a single rear camera like the iPhone 8, compared to the dual-lens setup expected for Apple's two more expensive OLED devices. Former KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also said to expect a single rear camera.

In addition to predicting features for Apple's 2018 iPhones, Mac Otakara's report suggests that iOS 12, the software that will run on both the new devices and existing devices, will feature improvements to Face ID.

Face ID in iOS 12 will reportedly allow users to unlock a device when it is held at a horizontal angle, rather than limiting unlocking via Face ID to the vertical orientation. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says the horizontal Face ID support is designed for the upcoming iPad Pro models that are expected to incorporate Face ID and the TrueDepth Camera system. It's also likely that the horizontal support being added for the iPads will also work on iPhones.

More information on what to expect in iOS 12, which will be unveiled in just under a month, can be found in our iOS 12 roundup. Additional details on what to expect in the iPhones coming in 2018, likely in the September timeframe, can be found in our 2018 iPhones roundup.

Related Forums: iOS 12, iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's Upcoming Macs Listed in New Report

Thursday July 3, 2025 9:09 am PDT by
AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic today shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, which should roll out over the next year or so. The report does not reveal anything too surprising, but it does serve as further evidence that Apple is seemingly working on new models of every Mac, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Apple is...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...

Top Rated Comments

cmaier Avatar
94 months ago
I predict a better camera. And faster processor.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macduke Avatar
94 months ago
Got excited about horizontal unlock until I realized its not talking about your iPhone X being flat on a table. The number of times that I still get frustrated when trying to unlock my iPhone on my desk to check something—even after six months of use—is staggering. I just can’t get over missing that functionality.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H.E. Pennypacker Avatar
94 months ago
I’ve always been a + user but after using the X since launch I’m really enjoying the size a lot more.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blade Runner 2049 Avatar
94 months ago
I hope they don't pull the 'better camera in bigger phone' trick. I just want Apple to stop limiting features exclusively to ‘Plus’ models just because they’re larger.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
94 months ago
None of this seems very unexpected.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JPack Avatar
94 months ago
Enough of these wishy washy rumors. We really need Ming-Chi Kuo back.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)