Apple to launch a cheaper iPhone with 6.1-inch LCD display, 3GB RAM

Apple is expected to unveil three iPhone models in September this year, and the rumor mill has already started churning out details about the phones. Out of these, two are said to feature OLED displays just like the iPhone X. Whereas the third one is said to be a cheaper model with an advanced LCD display as compared to the older iPhones. This information comes from a new report by Taiwanese publication Commercial Times.

According to the report, Apple may incorporate Japan Display's "Full Active" LCD display into one of its upcoming iPhones. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo had earlier said that the LCD model will feature a 6.1-inch display. The new report also claims that the display size would be around 6 inches. To give you some insight, Japan Display's Full Active LCD displays are of 6 inches and carry a screen resolution of 2,160×1,080 pixels.

The screen resolution suggests that the 6.1-inch iPhone will carry an aspect ratio of 18:9 and pixel density of 395ppi. This is not line with Ming-Chi Kuo who had predicted that the 6-inch iPhone's display will feature around 320-330ppi.

Ming-Chi Kuo has also published a new investor note offering more details of the new iPhones launching later this year. As predicted by Kuo, Apple retain the iPhone X design on its upcoming models which will lead to an increase in sales.

The analyst further claims that the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone will sport a single rear camera, but the OLED models will be equipped with dual camera setups on their back. The 6.1-inch iPhone will feature an aluminum frame and it will arrive sans the 3D Touch. As for the RAM, the LCD model is said to pack 3GB of RAM, while the OLED models will pack 4GB of RAM.

Kuo says the 6.1-inch LCD model is expected to cost between $700 and $800, which is a bit higher than his earlier prediction of $650 top $750. It is also said to account for "around 50 percent" for iPhone shipments in the Q2 2018 due to its cheap price tag. Apple will likely ship 80 million to 90 million of iPhone units in total in the second quarter.

However, Kuo claims that the development schedule of the 6.1-inch LCD model is slightly behind the schedules of the 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones. Lastly, Kuo notes that Apple may start "new iPhone model certifications earlier" than it did last year to prevent shipment delays.