Apple to release three new iPhones in 2018, claims latest analyst note

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, widely known as one of the most-famous and accurate Apple analyst, has released a new reasearch note on iPhones set to release in 2018. According to Kuo's research note, Apple will release not two but three iPhones this year. Mac Rumours website has obtained the release note. Here's what the release note says about Apple's alleged line-up of iPhones for the year 2018.

6.1-inch iPhone with LCD
* Apple is said to be working on a 6.1-inch iPhone. The smartphone is claimed to come with full-screen display and TrueDepth sensors. It will have iPhone X's 3D sensing technology as well as support for Animojies. The alleged iPhone is said to come with single battery cell with 2,850-2,950 mAh capacity. Note also suggests rectangular shape for the device

* As per Kuo's note, Taiwanese manufacturers Pegatron, Foxconn and Wistronwill be the key assemblers of the 6.1-inch iPhone. The note claims 60 percent, 30 percent and 10 percent allocation of EMS respectively for these companies.

* Rumours suggest that Japan Display will be the key supplier of LCD displays for the 6.1-inch iPhone. The alleged iPhone is said to sport the company's advanced LCD display, Full Active LCD technology. These LCD panels have 18:9 aspect ratio with a resolution of 2,160x1,080 pixels. Some other smartphone makers like Xiaomi too have used Full Active LCD displays.

The Full LCD displays instead of OLED displays will reportedly help Apple to keep the price of the iPhone comparitively low. Other design changes expected include aluminium frame instead of stainless steel. Rumours also suggest single-lens camera instead of dual-lens.

Next-generation iPhone X, iPhone X Plus
* The note claims higher RAM for the alleged second-generation iPhone X and iPhone X Plus smartphones. As per Kuo, both the iPhones will come ith 4GB RAM. iPhone X Plus is also said to sport higher battery capcity of 3,300 to 3,400 mAh. Kuo's note suggests that the iPhones will have two battery cells, increasing the capcity by 25 percent. The battery is pegged to be similar to iPhone X's L-shaped battery.

The note further clams that besides the iPhone X Plus' screen and battery size, the two new upcoming smartphones will offer minor upgrades.

* Incidentally, a recent report from Kuo also claimed that iPhone X will be "end of life" in the summer of 2018. According to the note, the company may not want to sell iPhone X as low-cost device, considering it being a special edition iPhone. So, for the first-time ever, Apple may not retain the previous year's entire line-up.