2018 iPhone X leaks start to emerge including a bigger screen

Apple Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing, Phil Schiller, introduces the iPhone X during a launch event in Cupertino, California, U.S. September 12, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam - HP1ED9C1I90DE

We've heard rumors that Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup will primarily consist of handsets featuring an edge-to-edge iPhone X design, but not all might feature that handset's glass back or OLED display.

In fact, according to a new report from Nikkei, Apple is considering that one of these phones will launch with a metallic back and an LCD display. The metallic backs would be "available in several colors," which reminds us of the hard-plastic encased iPhone 5c, though the new iPhone would measure 6.1 inches, much larger than that 4-inch model.

A change from the current glass back to a metallic back brings both an upside and a downside. While the new handset will likely be more durable, with less glass to shatter accidentally, it may drop the ability to wirelessly charge.

Switching from OLED to LCD wouldn't be a big deal, provided that it entails a lower price. Comparatively, OLED panels deliver more saturated colors and truer black tones. And, unlike LCD screens, OLED panes can be molded to fit a casing.

This handset is claimed to be the mid-size model of the pack, with Apple other 2018 iPhones coming in at 6.2 or 6.3 inches, and 5.8 inches.

The Nikkei report speculates that Apple's decision may be born from wanting to reduce its dependency on smartphone rival Samsung, its sole provider of OLED screens.