The much-anticipated iPhone 5 is expected to be even sleeker than its bestselling predecessors, carefully stage-managed leaks from Apple indicate.

The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday reported that the new iPhone's screen will be around 0.5 mm thinner than the iPhone 4S thanks to new technology that removes the touch panel, reducing its thickness compared to the iPhone 4S's 9.3 mm.

The gadget's LCD screens have so far had to include a separate film layer that served as the touch sensor, but now component makers like Sharp and LG are producing panels for the next iPhone using so-called in-cell technology, which integrates touch sensors into the LCD.

Industry observers are watching to see whether Apple will choose the saved space to make the phone slimmer or increase battery capacity, but most incline to the former view, which would enable the gadget to compete with Samsung’s 8.5 mm thick Galaxy S3.

Apple is also widely expected to ditch the 3.5-inch screen for a 4-inch screen. Unlike Samsung, which uses AMOLED technology for its screens, Apple is almost certain to use a high-resolution LCD screen. It is also apparently planning to use a chip that supports the fourth-generation mobile communication technology LTE format.