Apple's plan to create an iPhone with a completely bezel-less display is facing significant technical challenges, and a new report suggests the technology may not be ready until 2026, as originally hoped.
Apple has apparently been pursuing the goal of shrinking the iPhone's display bezels for years, with the ambition of making them disappear from view altogether. However, the first bezel-less iPhone still seems a few years away.
According to a source from the Korean site The Elec, Apple has cooperated with Samsung Display and LG Display to develop this revolutionary screen technology but the implementation process is facing difficulties.
Apple's vision is said to be significantly different from current curved screen designs, such as those seen on Samsung's smartphones or Xiaomi's "four-sided curved screen" concept. The US tech company is trying to avoid the "magnifying glass effect" that often occurs at the edges of curved screens that have appeared on some devices.
In contrast to conventional curved-edge phone models, Apple is aiming for a unique design that retains the iPhone's signature flat screen and square edges, while extending the screen seamlessly across the edges, similar to the current Apple Watch design.
But the technical challenges remain formidable. Both Samsung Display and LG Display need to adapt two existing technologies, Thin Film Encapsulation (TFE) to protect OLED displays from environmental damage and Optical Clear Adhesive (OCA) to bond a transparent adhesive layer around the curved edges. Suppliers also need to ensure enough space for components like the iPhone’s antenna.
In particular, OCA technology is facing major problems as the current solution causes distortion when viewed from the edge. Meanwhile, engineers have not yet solved the concern of impact damage of the edge-to-edge screen design.
Apple is expected to start mass production in time to put this screen on the iPhone 18 model in 2026. However, to achieve that, discussions with the screen manufacturer should have been completed by now.
However, industry sources say these talks are still ongoing, suggesting that the launch of bezel-less technology on the iPhone may be further delayed.
