Apple rumored to go all out with a bigger screen ratio for the iPhone 8

Apple may follow in Samsung's footsteps with its next iPhone in more ways than one.

We've heard a ton about the switch to an OLED screen for the upcoming iPhone 8; it's the most prevalent rumor in the whole bunch, with some extra legs due to a reported partnership with Samsung to supply the displays. Samsung uses OLED screens in its Galaxy S8 handsets, which have a similar "bezel-less" screen design to what we're expecting Apple will roll out with the iPhone 8.

OLED might not be the only aspect of the display Apple will be adding to the next-gen iPhone also found in the S8, however: according to a DigiTimes report spotted by BGR, the iPhone 8's display will also sport an 18:9 aspect ratio (the S8's screen rocks a similar 18.5:9 aspect ratio), which would make it the latest flagship phone to embrace the extra-tall phone trend.

DigiTimes, which has a hit-or-miss reputation for leaks, cites "industry sources" to report that panel suppliers will expand production in response to a high demand for 18:9 display panels in the second half of the year. One of those smartphone makers is supposedly Apple, which the sources claim has ordered the panels for a 5.8-inch 18:9 OLED screen.

The report claims Samsung Display is ahead of the curve in panel production (which makes sense, because the S8 is already using it), and other smartphone manufacturers will apparently soon follow suit. An estimated 150 million "all-screen" devices with 18:9 (or similar) panels are expected to ship globally by the year's end, according to the report, 100 million of which will be via Samsung and Apple.

If Apple does indeed make the move to 18:9, it'll join Samsung and LG's G6 as notable converts to the taller ratio. Jumping on a trend like this isn't typically a move Apple would make -- usually, it sticks firm in its ways, letting other companies pull risky moves that affect the user experience.

But making the switch to an 18:9 inch aspect ratio would give users even more screen to play with on their devices, something Apple sounds like it's aiming for with its rumored edge-to-edge display. If Apple is indeed switching to OLED, it makes some sense to shift to 18:9 along with it. If iPhone 7 Plus (and Galaxy S8) sales show anything, we can never get enough screen -- so Apple should do everything it can to deliver even more.