Apple may be planning for a Spatial iPhone with holographic screen, details here

Apple may be planning to make a big change to the iPhone. As per leaks, the Cupertino giant could use a holographic display for the iPhone in the future, likely made by Samsung. Here are all the details.

In Short

• Apple may be working on new Spatial iPhone
• The rumoured Spatial iPhone could come with holographic display
• You may get 3D depth effects on this device without needing special glasses

Apple may be planning to make a drastic change to the iPhone. And no, we are not talking about the rumoured iPhone Fold. According to leaks, Apple could be working on a “Spatial iPhone” that may use a holographic display from Samsung.

According to tipster Schrdinger on X, Apple may be planning to put a holographic display on the iPhone in the near future. The tipster shared posts with screenshots of messages from, what they claim, are insiders said to be familiar with the project.

Though before we delve into what a Spatial iPhone may look like with such a display, do note that it is still early days, and you may want to take this with a pinch of salt.

A holographic iPhone with Samsung display?

Apple does not manufacture smartphone displays. The company relies on third-party makers such as Samsung. According to the leak, Samsung is likely working on a new holographic display codenamed, “H1” or “MH1.”

The leak indicates that the MH1 project remains in phase 1 of research and development, and pointed to an approximate 2030 timeframe for holographic smartphones. In one post, it is said that Samsung “isn't alone” in wanting to ship a holographic smartphone and cited supply chain rumours of an Apple 'Spatial iPhone' among component suppliers.

If such a display does come to the iPhone, it won’t happen overnight. Apple is already believed to be working on a bezel-less iPhone for the device’s 20th anniversary next year. If the leak does turn out to be accurate, you may still need to wait a couple of years before getting your hands on one.

What can the Spatial iPhone display look like?

The leak states that this display may allow you to get depth effects on a phone, without having to wear special glasses. Unlike the 3D screens we saw over a decade-ago on, as per the leak, the system may pair advanced eye-tracking with diffractive beam-steering. This could use microscopic structures in the display layer to bend and redirect light towards the viewer's eyes at precise angles, to give you a depth effect.

The closest iteration to such a display may be the Amazon Fire Phone, which was launched in 2014 with depth effects based on camera tracking.

What will the display do?

But what can this holographic screen do? The display is said to include a nano-structured holographic layer built directly into the AMOLED stack, creating spatial depth effects that appear to float above the glass while maintaining full 4K resolution for standard 2D use. The leaker described this as 'Zero Clarity Loss', with the holographic layer activating only for specific content.

That is, you will be able to get depth effects while watching certain content without needing special glasses. This may allow for a more immersive experience.

To give you some context, Samsung's Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) has developed a patented algorithm that would let users tilt the device to see around objects in a video, a capability described as '360-degree rotation'. The prototype described then was about 1cm thick and capable of displaying 4K holographic video at 30 frames per second.

This may make such a display on a smartphone a realistic proposition. Though there has been no official word from Samsung on using such a panel in a smartphone just yet.

Apple and holographic tech

Apple is no stranger to being interested in holographic technology. In 2008, the company filed for a patent for a glasses-free autostereoscopic display that tracked the viewer's position to deliver a personalised 3D image without special glasses. This system was said to support multiple viewers at the same time.

In 2014, Apple was linked to reports about a glasses-free 3D iPhone display, the same year the US Patent and Trademark Office granted the company a patent for an 'Interactive holographic display device.’ Though neither of those efforts resulted in an iPhone with a holographic display.

While it is still early days over the prospects of a Spatial iPhone, Apple is rumoured to have other smart devices in its pipeline, including AI smartglasses and smart home hub with a display. These devices could be launched as early as 2027.

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