What Is the Apple iPhone’s Display Made Of?

To better understand how technologically advanced and complex a smartphone’s display module is, let’s explore all the display elements on an iPhone.

iPhone X OLED Screen Total Teardown Analysis [Video]

Video uploaded by REWA Technology on November 22, 2017

Contents

1 iPhone X OLED Screen Total Teardown Analysis [Video]
2 iPhone’s Display: What Materials Does Apple Use to Build Them?
3 Links

iPhone’s Display: What Materials Does Apple Use to Build Them?

The main feature of any modern smartphone is its display. Manufacturers pay great attention to this module, because the user perceives the device based on the quality of the image and the responsiveness of the touchscreen sensor.

If the smartphone is dropped, it’s the display that most often must be replaced.

To better understand how technologically advanced and complex a smartphone’s display module is, let’s explore all the display elements on an iPhone.

Tempered glass

Tempered glass is the topmost layer of the display with which the user interacts.

This is the topmost layer of the display with which the user interacts. The user’s tactile sensations are affected by the quality of the glass and its oleophobic coating. When using an iPhone, one’s finger should easily slide over the surface, not stick when pressed quickly, and not rest when swiped abruptly.

New iPhone models have glass that’s very thin, curved around the perimeter, with smooth edges near the Home button and the speaker. In the latest iPhone X, there’s a cutout in the glass.

Service specialists may suggest replacing the tempered glass only instead of replacing the entire display. This procedure is more difficult, but spare parts are cheaper. When replacing the glass, even the best Chinese glass is inferior in quality compared to the original; sometimes you can feel a sharp transition or deepening of the button, and the sensors on the smartphone`s front surface often break down.

A layer of transparent glue

Tempered glass is glued directly to the matrix with transparent glue. This removes the air gap and reduces the thickness of the display.

A high-quality adhesive layer will prevent color distortion, will prevent dust from entering under the glass, and will reliably hold the top layer, even with the most active use.

When replacing the glass, a low-quality adhesive layer may be used, which will eventually change color, begin to distort the image, or allow entrance of dust particles.

Touchpad

The touchpad, also called the touchscreen or sensor. It is responsible for recognizing the user’s touch.

This is also called the touchscreen or sensor. It is responsible for recognizing the user’s touch.

The original element is made of a thin layer of glass. It can determine the point of contact to millimeter accuracy, and supports multi-touch technology.

When dropped, this element is much less breakable than tempered glass.

Polarizing filter

Polarizing filter is a special layer that makes the matrix image visible to the human eye.

This is a special layer that makes the matrix image visible to the human eye; without it, we would not see anything on the screen!

Matrix

The matrix consists of two plates with liquid crystals between them.

The matrix consists of two plates with liquid crystals between them. Through the action of current, these crystals pass beams of light through themselves–we call this backlight.

This is the structure of the IPS matrix used in all iPhone models (except the new iPhone X, XS, and XS Max). The system itself was slightly modified by Apple specialists, and later named by Retina marketers.

Backlight

In matrices without AMOLED technology, the light source is located behind or on the edges of the matrix.

In matrices without AMOLED technology, the light source is located behind or on the edges of the matrix. It creates backlighting for the crystals so that images are bright and clear: Crystals do not glow by themselves, only when passed through light. In AMOLED matrices, crystals do not need backlight; crystals glow from the electric current passing through them.

A layer of additional sensors

Starting with the iPhone 6S, this layer appears in the iPhone. It’s used to recognize the force pressure on the display.

A special grid of capacitor boards is connected to the power supply. Its task is ultra-precise measurement of the distance from the finger to the matrix. Software algorithms analyze information from this grid, allowing 3D Touch technology to work.

Frame

The frame is a peculiar base, on which all the above elements are mounted.

This is a peculiar base, on which all the above elements are mounted. It’s installed directly on the framework of the smartphone.

So developers placed all the components of the iPhone display unit in a “sandwich,” the thickness of which is only a couple of millimeters. Now it’s clear why it costs you a pretty penny to replace an iPhone screen!