The next iPhones will have a different look when they launch in September, it seems. From different displays on some models to a new strategy for next-generation processors, more advanced camera lenses and a new thermal design to prevent overheating, a lot will change. And now, a leak reveals that the bezels will be even thinner to become the narrowest in the world.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max: Will the iPhone 16 Pro display be thinner … [+]
Updated June 4. This post was first published on June 3, 2024.
The leaker has already posted images that claim to show how much thinner the bezels will look. In a new post on X, they said: “iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: The narrower and narrower bezel is much to my liking. But the dynamic island needs to be scaled down.
And the images show what the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro should look like side by side. Even if you don’t imagine that a small reduction in bezel size would make a big difference, it’s noticeable how much narrower the 16 Pro mockup looks.
Of course, it’s still true that if you put the iPhone in a case, as so many people do, then if there’s a front edge to the case, that subtle change in frame can be covered up anyway. But maybe that’s not the point: making the iPhone look even better than last year’s model is a lofty ambition worth undertaking.
You can bet that if the images do mean that the next iPhone has the thinnest bezels of any smartphone to date, it will be included in Apple’s marketing for the phone. Ice Universe, in another X post, also posted four different images showing different frames. It’s hard to argue that thinner ones don’t look better.
As for narrowing the bezels of the iPhone, is that even possible, you might ask? Current models already have very thin empty areas around the display itself.
But in a post by X, Ice Universe, a leaker with some serious experience revealed that they’ve heard that thinner bezels are on the way. The post reads: “My friend confirmed that the iPhone 16 Pro will reduce the bezel, surpassing the Galaxy S24 to become the narrowest mobile phone in the world, which looks very close to the dream shape.”
As mentioned by Ice Universe, Samsung currently holds the record for thinnest bezels, but not for long, it seems.
The post only mentions the iPhone 16 Pro, but it seems very likely that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will also have a slimmer bezel. We will see.
All of this coincides with a previous report of Apple using Border Reduction Structure technology to achieve a thinner border, something that was last rumored because Apple was said to have found the technology to cause yield issues. That’s because, as 9to5Mac reports, BRS affects the construction: “The cables and circuitry near the edge of the panel have to be bent down to achieve this. This reportedly caused some production challenges during the production ramp.
It’s hard to see how the borders could get much thinner and, let’s remember, you still want to be able to hold the phone without the touchscreen accidentally activating. But Apple will be happy to claim the world’s “narrowest” crown from Samsung.
Still, every little bit helps. If the new Pro models are predicted to have larger displays than before (6.3 inches and 6.7 inches for the Pro and Pro Max respectively), then the slimmer bezels may make them easier on the hand.
Not everyone is concerned about these things, and one person immediately told Ice Universe, “I will never understand this need. Never.” To which the leaker replied, “You don’t care about the frame, but if I give you a Galaxy A54 design, you’re definitely not going to like it the first time.”
So here we are.
