A new technology dubbed ‘LIPO,’ or ‘low-injection pressure over-molding,’ is being worked on by Apple that will allow its future iPhones and iPads to feature razor-thin bezels. While some might believe that this technology will take some years to be rolled out, the first products sporting displays with LIPO are actually expected to launch later this year.
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have already been reported to feature this LIPO technology, will result in reducing the bezels from 2.2mm to 1.5mm
It has been previously reported that the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature the thinnest bezels on a smartphone ever, measuring just 1.55mm and beating the Xiaomi 13 Pro, which sports a measurement of 1.81mm. Now, thanks to Mark Gurman’s ‘Power On’ newsletter, we have learned that the technology used to reduce those bezels actually has a name, and in addition to the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, LIPO is also said to arrive for the iPad, though Gurman made no mention of any particular lineup or launch timeline.
Current-generation iPhones have a bezel that measures 2.2mm, and with LIPO, that figure can be reduced to just 1.5mm, with the technology already debuting on the Apple Watch Series 7. More details of Apple’s plans have been given below, but disappointingly, Gurman has not pointed out in his newsletter how much all of this will cost the consumer. Both the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have previously been reported to be more expensive than the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, and switching to LIPO may be one of those reasons.
“This year, two of the biggest changes to the 15 line will get Apple closer to that dream iPhone. The standard iPhone 15 models will trade in the notch for the Dynamic Island, while the Pro and Pro Max displays will be made with a new technology: low-injection pressure over-molding, or “LIPO” as it’s dubbed inside Apple.
That new process will shrink the border size around the display to 1.5 millimeters (from about 2.2 millimeters on current iPhones). LIPO was first used in the Apple Watch Series 7 to make that device’s borders thinner and increase the size of the display. And Apple plans to eventually bring the feature to the iPad as well, I’m told.”
Apple has already been busy making a truly bezel-less iPhone a reality and has requested samples from its panel suppliers, Samsung and LG, to make this possible. Of course, there are going to be a ton of challenges to get to this stage, not to mention the amount of time needed to make LIPO a widely adopted technology, but it is a decent start towards making the pricier handsets feel even more ultra-premium than before.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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