Apple's iPhone XI rumored to feature a display optimized for underwater operation

This year, it seems that all major brands will launch — or at least are planning to — a foldable handset. However, Apple seems to be not into folding its devices yet and has apparently decided to submerge them instead. Obviously, waterproof flagships have been around for quite a while, but being able to operate their display properly underwater is a completely different story.

According to XDA's Max Weinbach, "The next iPhones are probably going to have displays that work underwater. It’s in the prototype stage right now but seems likely. They have a patent for it and are finally doing it."

The aforementioned patent describes a display that can track fingers in wet environments. The touchscreens currently used in smartphones for the masses tend to mistakenly report water drops for finger touches, resulting in an erratic behavior when the user's fingers are dripping wet.

In addition to this technology, Apple is apparently working on improving its Haptic Engine as well. The enhanced Haptic Engine would probably involve a touchscreen display that is divided into several areas to deliver accurate vibration feedback.

This year, Apple should release three new iPhone models and at least one of them should feature a tri-camera rear setup with a Time of Flight (ToF) camera used for capturing additional depth information. Other rumors include a smaller notch and improved fast charging via USB Type-C.

Obviously, all these should be taken with a grain of salt for now, since the next-gen iPhone doesn't even have a name yet. Will it be iPhone XI, iPhone 11, iPhone XS 2, or something completely different? Remains to be seen, but feel free to take a guess in the comments section below.