LG has started production of the screen that's widely expected to feature in the iPhone 5.
An executive told Reuters that the thinner display has started being mass produced, and will tie in with its customers' product release plans. Apple buys panels from LG, so put two and two together and we've got an iPhone 5 on the horizon.
"We just began mass production and we don't expect any disruption in supplies," Han Sang-beom, chief executive of LG Display, told reporters.
The screen is expected to be 4-inches across, making it bigger than the current iPhone's 3.5-inches. It'll also use in-cell panels, which embed touch sensors into the LCD, meaning there's no need for the touchscreen layer as on the current iPhone screen. This should mean it's thinner than current screens, helping the whole handset slim down.
It's not certain LG will make the screen for the next iPhone, however. Previous reports have said Sharp will make the screen for the handset, and Samsung also supplies parts for Apple devices.
Whoever makes it, this in-cell tech is highly likely, as is the bigger size. The likes of HTC and Samsung are making handsets with screens around the 5-inch mark, so Apple is bound to go large.
All eyes on September 12
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 5 on September 12. Customers shouldn't have to wait long to get their hands on one either, with the device expected to ship just days later, on September 21.
International orders may have to wait until October though.
Via Reuters
