It seems that the next iPhones will have a different look when they are released this September. From different displays on some models to a new strategy for next-generation processors, more advanced camera lenses and a new thermal design that prevents overheating, a lot will change. And now a leak reveals that the bezels will be even thinner, becoming the narrowest in the world.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max: Will the display be thinner for the iPhone 16 Pro … [+]
Updated June 4. This post was first published on June 3, 2024.
And a leaker has now released images that he claims show just how much thinner the bezels will look. In a new post on X, they said: “iPhone 16 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max: Narrower and narrower bezel is very much to my taste. But the dynamic island should be reduced.”
And the images show what is supposed to be the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro side by side. Even if you don’t think that a small reduction in bezel size can make a big difference, it’s noticeable how much narrower the 16 Pro mockup looks.
Of course, if you put the iPhone in a case, as many people do, then if there is a front edge on the case, the subtle bezel change may be obscured anyway. But maybe that’s not the point: making the iPhone 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 will have the thinnest bezels of any smartphone ever, that it will be part of Apple’s phone marketing. Ice Universe also posted four different images showing different frames in another post on X. It’s hard to argue that thinner ones don’t look better.
As for narrowing the bezels on the iPhone, is it even possible, you ask? Current models already have very thin empty areas around the display itself.
But in a post on X, Ice Universe, a leaker with a strong track record, revealed that they’ve heard thinner frames are on the way. The post reads: “My friend confirmed that the iPhone 16 Pro will shrink the bezel and surpass the Galaxy S24 to become the narrowest bezel mobile phone in the world, which seems very close to the dream form.”
As Ice Universe mentioned, Samsung currently holds the record for the thinnest bezels, but not for long, it seems.
The post only mentions the iPhone 16 Pro, but it seems highly likely that the iPhone 16 Pro Max will also see a thinner bezel. We’ll see.
This all ties in with the previous report that Apple is using Border Reduction Structure technology to achieve a thinner bezel, which was last discussed as Apple was said to have found the technology to create issues in terms of yield. That’s because, as 9to5Mac points out, BRS affects the design: “The wiring and circuitry near the edge of the panel must be bent down to achieve this. This reportedly caused some production issues during the ramp-up.”
It’s hard to imagine how the bezels can get much thinner, and let’s remember that you still want to be able to hold the phone in your hand without accidentally activating the touchscreen. But Apple likes to take the “narrowest” crown in the world from Samsung.
Still, every little bit helps. If the new Pro models are expected to have larger displays than before (6.3 inches and 6.7 inches for the Pro and Pro Max), then they may fit better in the hand thanks to thinner frames.
Not everyone cares about these things, and one person immediately told Ice Universe, “I will never understand the need. Never.” To which the leaker replied, “You don’t care about the frame, but if I give you the Galaxy A54 design, you’re definitely not going to like it the first time.”
So here we are.