Bloomberg: Two major changes are heading to the iPhone lineup next year

Apple is reportedly looking to make big changes to its iPhone lineup next year.

Bloomberg claims the first change could happen as early as the beginning of the year with the launch of the new iPhone SE. As the first update since 2022, the upcoming iPhone SE is expected to sport an OLED screen that stretches across the full device and will support Apple Intelligence.

Analysts believe the OLED iPhone SE could be a hit among consumers if Apple keeps the price under US$500. BOE and LG Display are rumoured to be supplying the OLED panels for the iPhone SE.

The second change, which is arguably more significant, is likely to see the Plus model being replaced by a thinner model. According to Bloomberg, Apple wants to introduce an iPhone model that would sit between the standard iPhone and the more expensive and powerful Pro models. It describes the situation as being similar to how the MacBook Air used to sit between the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro.

Apple is said to pitch the slimmer iPhone 17 model as "something snazzier than a standard iPhone" but without the performance, size, or cameras of the Pro models.

Dubbed the "fourth iPhone model", Apple has tried to find an iPhone outside of the standard models and the Pro models to appeal to consumers. This started with the iPhone 12/13 mini and iPhone 14/15 Plus, but success has been limited. Bloomberg believes the slimmer iPhone 17 model would be "a bigger hit" than the mini and Plus models.

Rumours of a slimmer iPhone 17 model surfaced in May when Haitong Securities analyst Jeff Pu reported that it would have a 6.6-inch display and an aluminium chassis.

The Information followed with another report claiming that the screen size would be between 6.12 and 6.69 inches and that the slimmer model could replace the Pro Max as the most expensive in the lineup.

Looking ahead, Bloomberg says Apple will try to pack Pro features into the thinner design. Such a device is slated to launch in 2027 at the earliest. Thin and light has been touted as Apple's focus for the future, Apple's reported goal is for its devices to be "the thinnest and lightest in their categories across the whole tech industry".

Source: Bloomberg

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