Apple is experimenting with touchless gestures and curved screen iPhones

In addition, Bloomberg report that Apple is also working on a new type of curved display. The new gesture technology would take into account the proximity of a finger to the screen, the person said. But, again, don't expect these features to be included in this year's new iPhones. The screen curvature is reported to bend inward gradually from top to bottom, unlike Samsung phones which curve on the screen's left and right edges.

OLED, or organic light emitting diode, displays can be shaped into curves or even folded, unlike the less-flexible LCD screen technology used in prior iPhones.

Samsung now uses smartphone screens that curve, but its curved screens slope down at the edges, rather than from top to bottom. According to Bloomberg, Apple will be developing its processors for the Mac as early as 2020, doing away with current Intel processors powering the product.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The work comes as the Cupertino, California-based smartphone pioneer looks to make its gadgets stand out. Though it sounds like Apple's version of touchless gestures will be a bit different on how they are implemented.

Touchless gestures could be particularly useful on an iPhone however, given the limited space for physical or virtual buttons. To stay ahead, Apple needs compelling new features and designs. The approach differs from concepts like Samsung's Air Gestures or Google's Project Soli, relying on technology built into the display rather than any cameras or motion sensors.

Samsung's Galaxy handsets curve in at the side edges of the display, so Apple would be able to differentiate with that approachAs Bloomberg points out, the iPhone X already curves in ever-so-slightly at the bottom of the display, but future iterations could see this become much more pronounced.