Apple's First Bezel-Free iPhone Unlikely to Be Ready for 2026 Launch

Apple's plans to create an iPhone with a completely bezel-free display are reportedly facing significant technical challenges, with a new report suggesting that the technology may not be ready by 2026 as previously hoped.

xiaomi quad curved waterfall display concept phone angled press image

Xiaomi's 2021 Quad-Curved Waterfall Display concept phone

Apple has seemingly been on a years-long quest to slim down the bezels on its iPhone models until they vanish out of sight, but it looks like the first "zero-bezel" iPhone is still a few years away yet. According to Korean-language outlet The Elec, Apple has been working with Samsung Display and LG Display to develop the revolutionary screen technology, but the work has hit snags.

Apple's vision reportedly differs significantly from existing curved display implementations, such as those previously used in Samsung smartphones or Xiaomi's "quad-curved waterfall display" concept. The iPhone maker is specifically working to avoid the "magnifying glass effect" that typically occurs on curved display edges like those already seen on some smartphones.

In contrast to typical curved-edge phones, Apple is said to envision a unique design that maintains the iPhone's signature flat display and angular sides while extending the screen seamlessly over the edges, similar to the current Apple Watch design. Some industry insiders have reportedly described the intended aesthetic as "pebble-like."

However, the technical challenges apparently remain substantial. Both Samsung Display and LG Display need to adapt two existing technologies, including Thin Film Encapsulation (TFE) for protecting OLED displays from environmental damage, and Optical Clear Adhesive (OCA) for bonding transparent adhesive films around curved edges. The suppliers also need to ensure there's adequate space for components like the iPhone antenna.

The development of OCA technology in particular has reportedly proven troublesome, as the current solutions suffer from side-view distortion issues, and engineers have still to address impact damage concerns for the edge-wrapped display design.

Apple had planned to begin mass production in time for the displays to feature on an iPhone 18 in 2026, but for that to happen, discussions with display manufacturers should have already been finalized by now. However, industry insiders report that these talks are still ongoing, suggesting the timeline for introducing the "zero-bezel" technology on an iPhone will likely slip further into the future.

Popular Stories

iOS 19 Mock WWDC25 Feature

iOS 19 Expected to Run on These iPhones

Monday March 31, 2025 5:28 pm PDT by
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected...
maxresdefault

Apple Releases iOS 18.4 With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music, New Emoji and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:03 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating system updates that came out last year. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 come two months after Apple released iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4

Monday March 31, 2025 11:27 am PDT by
Apple today released new firmware updates for all AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 models. The new firmware is version 7E93, up from the 7B21 firmware that was installed on the AirPods Pro 2 and the 7B20 firmware available on the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. It is not immediately clear what new features or changes are included in the new firmware, but we'll update this article should we find ...
watchOS 11 Thumb 2 1

Apple Releases watchOS 11.4 With Sleep Alarm Update

Tuesday April 1, 2025 10:34 am PDT by
Apple today released watchOS 11.4, the fourth major update to the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 11.4 is compatible with the Apple Watch Series 6 and later, all Apple Watch Ultra models, and the Apple Watch SE 2. watchOS 11.4 can be downloaded on a connected iPhone by opening up the Apple Watch app and going to General > Software Update. To install the new software,...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4 With Mail Categorization and More

Monday March 31, 2025 10:04 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4, the fourth major update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4 comes two months after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.3. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. With...
iPhone 17 Pro 34ths Perspective

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Airpods Max Feature Green Triad

Apple Releases New AirPods Max Firmware With Lossless and Low-Latency Audio Support [Updated]

Monday March 31, 2025 3:49 pm PDT by
Update 4/2/25: Apple has updated an AirPods support page to indicate that the AirPods Max (USB-C) firmware update version 7E99 is now "coming soon." The original article continues below. Apple today released a new firmware update for the USB-C version of the AirPods Max headphones. The new firmware is version 7E99, up from the prior 7A291 firmware the device was previously running....

Top Rated Comments

DBZmusicboy01 Avatar
14 weeks ago
The most important thing to focus on first is completely removing the Dynamic Island by placing the camera and Face ID under the display.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
14 weeks ago
What are the bezels down to now, 2mm? That is good enough. Focus on getting rid of the cutout. And of course a smaller version!
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SnowPenguin Avatar
14 weeks ago
So, does that mean we will keep tapping the edge of screen all the time?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bluffalo Avatar
14 weeks ago
So you can’t pick it up and hold it without touching anywhere that’s not screen…..
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
840quadra Avatar
14 weeks ago
FWIW Apple could have done this years ago potentially.

The iPhone X screen (Source Apple)



That Said, I am interested in a screen without a bezel, but have 0% interest in an edge screen like we used to see from Samsung.

Can't count how many times I saw friends shatter theirs in drops my iPhones and Pixels easily survived.

Attachment Image
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Thomba Avatar
14 weeks ago
I don't need this. I dont want this. It's a useless gimmick.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)