Overview
- The claim that Apple is testing a roughly 6.96‑inch panel was posted Tuesday by Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station and was quickly picked up by MacRumors, AppleInsider and other tech outlets.
- Reports say the prototype would be marketed as a 7‑inch display and keeps a similar screen ratio to today’s 6.9‑inch Pro Max models, meaning the diagonal increase would be modest in actual size.
- Coverage links the panel test to a broader anniversary redesign that suppliers describe as a quad‑curved, near‑bezel look with hopes of burying Face ID and the selfie camera under the glass and replacing physical buttons with haptic alternatives.
- Bloomberg and supply‑chain reporting say Apple has accelerated development on two 20th‑anniversary models for fall 2027, but suppliers and journalists stress Apple routinely prototypes many parts that never reach production.
- If the display moves beyond testing it could give Apple a new marketing milestone and a slightly larger screen without a big change to phone footprint, though the technical complexity may keep assembly concentrated in China and raise manufacturing risk.