No word from Apple on the existence - or otherwise - of a new iPhone in the near future, but Sharp has effectively said the next-gen handset is coming.

At least, it has said that it will begin shipping screens for the new device this month, according to company president Takashi Okuda, speaking after posting the firm's latest results, Reuters reports.

World+Dog now believed the new iPhone will sport a 4in display of unknown resolution in a casing that's similar to that of the iPhone 4S but stretched to accommodate the bigger display. The headphone port may move to the bottom of the device where there will certainly be a new, smaller dock connector - almost certainly USB 3.0 capable, we'd say.

It has been claimed the phone's panel uses 'in-cell' touchscreen technology, which integrates touch sensors into the display to reduce the screen's thickness.

Sharp's comments don't add anything to that picture - Okuda seems to have simply said his company will soon be shipping screens to Apple this month, and nothing more.

It's not known if the screens use Sharp's IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) technology, which yields LCDs that are up to 40 per cent more efficient than standard panels. They can contain smaller pixels that are able change their state more quickly. ®