Apple will reportedly leverage technology referred to as Border Reduction Structure (BRS) to give the iPhone 16 models virtually borderless displays.
BRS technology is said to allow for much thinner panel rims by rolling up the internal copper wiring, which should result in a thinner package overall.
MacRumors passes along a report in the Korean-language Lisa Journal claiming BRS will enable Apple to shrink bezels the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models.
At the same time, leaker Instant Digital wrote on the Chinese social network Weibo that the forthcoming OLED iPad Pro update will also include skinnier bezels.
All four iPhone 16 models could have borderless displays
One of the reasons why non-Pro iPhones don’t look as sophisticated as iPhone Pros is the noticeably thicker bezels on non-Pro models. Sources didn’t reveal how thin the next iPhone’s bezels might be. In 2023, Apple shrunk bezels on the iPhone 15 Pro models from 2.2 millimeters on the iPhone 14 series down to 1.5 millimeters.
There will be four models in Apple’s 2024 smartphone lineup—iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max—all four should incorporate the new ultra-thin bezel technology. The publication says Apple tried to implement BRS in the past but gave up due to excess heat dissipation.
The rumors also claim the iPhone 16 Pros will have visibly larger displays than the iPhone 15 Pros, with the iPhone 16 Pro‌‌ and iPhone 16 Pro Max having screens measuring 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches diagonally. By comaprison, the current iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max displays are 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively.
The next iPad Pro could also shrink the bezels
Install Digital said bezels on the OLED iPad Pros would be about 10-15 percent thinner, with the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models featuring 7.12mm and 7.08mm bezels.
Apple redesigned the iPad Pro in 2018 by swapping the Home button for Face ID, whihc shrunk the bezels. Thinner bezels are always better, especially on a device like the iPad Pro, which still has more bezel around the display than the iPhone.
OLED iPad Pros are looming on the horizon
Apple should launch its first OLED-equipped iPad Pros within a few weeks. The devices should be powered by Apple’s M3 chip and feature a thinner enclosure, MagSafe charging and a landscape FaceTime camera.
Apple should release a new Pencil stylus and refresh its Magic Keyboard with an aluminum enclosure and a larger trackpad alongside the new iPad Pros. There may even be an optional matte anti-glare display upgrade.