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| apple iphone news concept iris scan |
Apple’s iPhone 8 isn’t
supposed to arrive until much later in 2017, but that hasn’t stopped
legions of fans from fervently speculating about it. It may or may not
launch alongside the 2017 iPhone models, the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, or it could end up being an incredible technical showcase phone released as an anniversary celebration at a later date.
For
now, it’s all up in the air, but what we’re hearing about it keeps us
interested. Very interested. Here’s what we’ve learned so far about the
iPhone 8, which has also become known as the iPhone X and iPhone
Edition.
Screen: OLED for the iPhone
If
the iPhone 8, or a special edition iPhone under a different name, does
arrive in 2017, rumors say it may have an OLED screen. This would be a
first for Apple on the iPhone, but it’s not a done deal yet. While the
majority of the rumors link the two together, a report
at the beginning of March 2017 said Apple is still testing technology
for the device, including OLED and LCD screen panels, both curved and
flat.
Still,the
latest reports indicate that rumors of a curved-display iPhone are
exaggerated. While Apple may at one time have been testing an iPhone
with a curved display, IHS analyst Wayne Lam, who analyses Apple’s supply chain, said the iPhone will only come with a flat display.
“Much
like the recently announced LG G6, we anticipate a touchscreen with a
new, longer aspect ratio design to take advantage of higher coverage
area of the iPhone in its entirety. This new design language is expected
to become the trend for 2017, as we all anticipate Samsung’s reveal
later this month,” said Lam.
The
rumors first began with Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst from KGI Securities
known for his often accurate insight and predictions about Apple’s
upcoming products, who said the 2017 iPhone will feature an OLED display
that is flexible. This flexible display will also have a structural
metal component to “avoid deforming the form factor of the flexible OLED
display.” According to 9to5Mac,
Kuo said the 2017 OLED iPhone may also use a film sensor for a better
3D Touch user experience, as film sensors reportedly offer “higher
sensitivity.”
Apple’s
Touch ID technology could also be revamped to complement the bezel-less
device, in that it may be replaced by a facial recognition system. But
as there are a lot of technical challenges to the technology, the
company may use a combination of fingerprint and facial recognition
technology.
“Before
Apple can fully replace the fingerprint system with facial recognition,
a combination of the two steps of bio-recognition could be a valid
solution for enhancing transactions security,” Kuo said.
It may have to fall to the two-step method, as one of the issues reportedly plaguing the iPhone 8 is OLED production. A report from Bloomberg
revealed that the company which makes many of the machines responsible
for fabricating OLED panels, Japan-based Canon Tokki, may have trouble
meeting demand.
It
notes that Canon Tokki has “a growing backlog” of orders even after
doubling its output in 2016. Case in point: The wait for an OLED-making
machine from Canon Tokki Corp. is about two years.
Initially, Samsung was expected to be the sole supplier of new iPhone models’ displays. According to DigitTimes, it expects to ship between 60 million and 70 million OLED units in 2017 — up to a maximum of 20 million units per month.
However,
LG and Japan Display are reportedly looking to enter production later
on in the process. Another report suggests Apple is speaking with Sharp
Corp. to supply additional OLED screens. On September 30, Sharp announced a $566 million investment in developing OLED production facilities, citing June 2018 as the target date for product output.
“Apple
has unofficially or as a nod encouraged Sharp to go into it,” Amir
Anvarzadeh, Singapore-based head of Japanese equity sales at BGC
Partners Inc., told Bloomberg
in a phone interview. “Apple’s general strategy is to increase the
competition on the supply side, and dilute the risk exposure to one
company.”
If the iPhone 8 does come with an OLED screen, it’ll likely be expensive, possibly beyond $1,000. The Wall Street Journal reports
that the displays are costly to produce. However, the same report notes
that Apple could decide against the OLED model altogether. There’s
precedent for such a 180: Last year, a global shortage of sapphire glass
forced Apple to abandon the material for the iPhone 7.
The
Motley Fool report hints that OLED panels may be used across the iPhone
range in 2017 or 2018, not just on the so-called iPhone 8. According to
the DigitTimes note it found, “supply chain sources believe that 50
million of these AMOLED-equipped iPhones will make it out to customers
in the first year of availability.” While 50 million sounds like a lot,
it’s a far cry from the 200 million iPhones Apple sold last year,
perhaps indicating that the company will gradually shift into OLED
rather than equipping all phones with the new tech right away.
The
new iPhone’s display may be flexible. Samsung Display, the subdivision
of electronics behemoth Samsung that oversees the company’s display
technologies, will supply Apple with “millions” of curved screens for
the iPhone 8, according to The Korea Herald. It is reportedly of the
plastic variety as opposed to the Gorilla Glass screens of iPhones past,
and “curved all over.”
Earlier, a report from Nikkei Asian Review
suggests that at least one new iPhone will feature a premium OLED
display that’s curved on both sides, somewhat like Samsung’s Edge
series. And a document surfaced
by a Chinese social media corroborated those details. The sketches show
a high-end iPhone, code-named “Ferrari,” that boasts a “glass sandwich”
design, an edge-to-edge OLED display, wireless charging, and a
touch-sensitive home button. This device may have evolved into the
iPhone X, about which rumors began in early 2017.
Design: USB Type-C, no more bezels or home button
For
some time now, we’ve been hearing rumors that this year’s flagship
iPhone will ditch the home button in favor of a full-size OLED display.
Now, however, it appears that may not come to pass. New reports indicate
that Apple is still finalizing the design for the new iPhone, and that
while there was a prototype built without a home button, that prototype
may not end up being the final design. The report comes from Mac Otakara.
The news follows another Wall Street Journal bombshell
report in February: Apple will ditch the iPhone’s Lightning port in
favor of USB Type-C, the industry standard connector for smartphones,
laptops, and chargers. It isn’t clear from the report if Apple means to
replace the iPhone’s Lightning port with a Type-C port, and one possible
interpretation is that the Cupertino, California-based company will
adopt Type-C for the phone’s wall charger and retain the Type-C plug on
the iPhone 8 itself.
Either
way, that seems highly unlikely. Apple has long eschewed standard
USB chargers on iOS devices, preferring its own proprietary 30-pin
connector and Lightning port. It has relaxed its rigidness recently,
most visibly on its MacBook line, which features USB-C connectors. But
Apple’s new Ultra Accessory Connector would seem to signal that the
company has no plans to drop Lightning anytime soon.
The
Wall Street Journal corroborated other rumblings about the iPhone 8’s
display, home button, and more. The iPhone 8 will feature a curved OLED
screen similar to those on Samsung’s Galaxy S7 devices. It will also do
away with the physical home button. And it will launch alongside two
other smartphones.
According to noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kou,
the iPhone 8 could see the elimination of the iconic home button and
Touch ID sensor in favor of “virtual buttons” at the bottom of the
screen.
The
screen size of the new iPhone has been the subject of some debate, but
it now seems as though everyone is agreeing that it will sit at 5.8
inches. Previously, Nikkei Asian Review suggested that the display would
instead be 5 inches, however the outlet, which is known for iPhone
leaks, has since changed its tune in a revised report.
Kuo
reports that the virtual buttons will take up part of the iPhone 8’s
screen, a rumored 5.8-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,800 x 1,242
pixels — a figure now agreed upon by Nikkei. And he believes the phone
“will come with other biometric technologies that replace the current
fingerprint recognition technology.” Kuo notes the overall footprint
would be comparable to the 4.7-inch TFT-LED iPhone, though with a
measurably larger display size and battery life.
The Wall Street Journal said in mid-June that the iPhone 8 will be radically different. New information from sources speaking to Bloomberg
also reiterate that the iPhone 8 may “appear like a single sheet of
glass.” That would eliminate much of the bezel around the display as
well as the home button. There are mockups of the possible design all
over the internet.
Although
going back to glass may seem like an odd retro move for Apple, it would
also open up possibilities like wireless charging, which is nearly
impossible to achieve with an all-metal device.
Moreover,
Kuo suggests that higher-end models of future iPhones will likely use
stainless steel in their cases — so look out, world. We’re about to get real fancy.
Here’s
a concept video made by Ran Avni at ConceptsiPhone, which shows what a
borderless iPhone could look like. The design in the video is based
on Marek Weidlich’s design on Behance.
BGR is intimating that the top bezel
will also be removed. That would be a tricky move, as the top bezel
houses the ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, the front speaker,
and the front-facing camera. However, the iPhone 8 may feature a
touchscreen with embedded sensors.
A
recent report from market research firm Cowen and Company suggests that
the iPhone 8’s earpiece, FaceTime camera, and Touch ID fingerprint
sensor will be embedded into the screen, allowing for a seamless
edge-to-edge front panel. And it claims that Apple may switch to
Synaptic’s optical-based fingerprint reader for the new Touch ID, citing
it as “currently the only workable solution” for detecting a
fingerprint through a smartphone screen.
A
patent discovered by Apple Insider suggests that Apple has considered
moving the front-facing sensors to underneath the display. For a closer
look, you can check out U.S. patent No. 9,466,653, titled “Electronic devices with display-integrated light sensors.”
These reports corroborate rumors brought to light by Apple insider John Gruber,
who was among the first to say that the iPhone 8 also may not have a
single bezel — that plays well with the idea of a single sheet of glass.
The entire front of the device could be one giant display, and the
Touch ID sensor would be embedded in the screen itself. This has been
reiterated in The New York Times.
As
for the size of the devices, Gruber says he doesn’t know whether Apple
is “going to shrink the actual thing in your hand to fit the screen
sizes we already have, or whether they’re going to grow the screens to
fit the devices we’re already used to holding.”
The name: iPhone 8, iPhone X, or even iPhone Edition
Despite
being known as the iPhone 8 in many rumors, the phone may
come alongside the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus in late 2017. This may confuse
things for 2018, when an iPhone 8 would be more logical, if we follow
Apple’s usual naming traditions. That’s why Apple may decide to use a
different name for it, and there are several possible options being
rumored.
The latest is the possibility it will be named the iPhone Edition.
Although unusual, this fits in with Apple’s strategy with the Apple
Watch, when it referred to the expensive versions made from precious
metals as the Watch Edition. We’re expecting the iPhone 8 to be a
special edition of some kind, due to the rumors connecting it with some
cutting-edge technology not found in the regular iPhone, so it does make
some sense. However, it’s not a catchy name, and although it comes from
a credible source, is still entirely unofficial. Additionally, the
source says the iPhone Edition will have a 5-inch screen, not a 5.8-inch
screen as previously expected, which may point to it being a different
phone entirely.
Alternatively,
the other name being rumored is the iPhone X. Cool, right? And one
suitably fitting for all the next-generation technology that’s supposed
to be packed inside. This comes from anonymous sources speaking to Fast Company,
where several other rumors about the phone are repeated, including that
it will have a 5.8-inch OLED screen, without bezels, mounted in a body
made of stainless steel. The glass back from older iPhone models may
make a return, too. The familiar Home button may disappear, to be
replaced by new touch technology under the screen, and even the volume
and sleep/wake keys may be removed, ready for touch-sensitive panels
instead.
It
doesn’t stop there. Another piece of exciting new tech rumored for the
iPhone X is a 3D-sensing camera, which may be used for facial
recognition, or for augmented reality. Add in a bigger battery and a
cool-sounding “monolithic” design, and the iPhone X sounds like the most
technically exciting iPhone we’ve ever seen. However, it may all come
at a steep price, with a tag in excess of $1,000 likely.
Before
we get too far ahead of ourselves, none of the iPhone X’s rumored
specification has been confirmed, and there’s a chance some of the
features mentioned are for future iPhone models, and won’t all arrive on
a single, amazing phone. We can still hope though.
Release date and price
Apple
traditionally launches a new iPhone every year in September. So far,
that seems likely to happen yet again in 2017. The iPhone 8, as it has
become known, may be renamed the iPhone X or iPhone Edition, and act as a
special anniversary edition of the phone. However, while the phone may
be announced alongside the iPhone 7S/7S Plus, it may not be released
until later, according to this source.
Apple has reportedly asked manufacturers to start trial production earlier than usual — in the first quarter of 2017, according to DigiTimes. It’s unlikely the release date will be moved up earlier, but perhaps Apple is anticipating higher demand than usual.
We
have no information on a specific launch or release date yet. The
price? The iPhone 8/iPhone X/iPhone Edition may cost more than $1,000,
due to the amount of new technology inside and mandatory high-end
specifications. A 256GB iPhone 7 Plus is $970 already, so this isn’t a
huge stretch.
Camera: A better dual camera and “revolutionary” 3D front camera
A
new rumor suggests the iPhone 8 has a thing or two in common with
Microsoft’s depth-sensing Kinect sensor. According to a report published
by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the upcoming iPhone’s front camera
boasts a “revolutionary” infrared sensor that can sense the
three-dimensional space in front of it.
It’s
said to be aimed at taking selfies. According to Kuo, the front sensor
merges depth information with 2D images for features like facial
recognition in tandem with Touch ID. It could be used to replace a video
game character’s head with that of the user, or to generate a 3D selfie
that would integrate seamlessly with virtual reality applications.
Apple is likely to eventually open the 3D scanning capabilities to third-party developers.
The technology
was developed by PrimeSense, the company behind Microsoft’s Kinect. The
infrared transmitter reportedly uses a technique known as
vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser technology from Lumentum, which
works by sending invisible IR light signals outward from the phone and
then detecting the signals that bounce back off of objects.
It’s said to be expensive. According to an analysis
by JPMorgan market researcher Rod Hall, the infrared sensor could add
as much as $10 to $15 per module, lending credence to rumors that the
iPhone 8 will be as much as $100 pricier than its predecessors.
The
iPhone’s front camera isn’t the handset’s only highlight. It’ll boast
dual vertical cameras, likely with functionality similar to the cameras
on the existing iPhone 7 Plus. And the new iPhones will reportedly be
able to shoot in portrait orientation and take advantage of the dual
lens system.
Japanese blog Mac Otakara,
citing an unnamed Taiwanese supplier, suggests dual cameras will be a
part of the upcoming iPhone lineup. They’re rumored to be arranged in
a vertical configuration as opposed to the current horizontal layout on
the 7 Plus.
And according to a report from The Korea Economic Daily,
Apple is collaborating with LG to create a dual-camera module that
would allow for 3D photographing. This would certainly make sense, as LG
is already the company behind the iPhone 7 Plus camera. While Apple
previously patented 3D-object and gesture recognition, it’s unclear whether the upcoming iPhone will bring these patents to life.
Specs: A11 chip
Every year, Apple upgrades the processor in its new iPhone. The iPhone 8 will likely get the new A11 chip, which DigiTimes
reports will use a 10nm manufacturing process. The chip should be even
faster than the A10 Fusion processor, which has been heralded by critics
as the best mobile phone processor.
If
the iPhone 8 is announced alongside the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, it may
share the same A11 chip as those new phones. And according to Chinese
research firm Trendforce it’ll have plenty of internal storage: The
iPhone 8’s said to come in two configurations, 64GB and 256GB. RAM
remains a mystery.
Battery: Wireless charging
Apple
has long been rumored to be working on wireless charging for a future
version of the iPhone, and rumors suggest it will use its own self-built
tech.
According to Reuters,
Apple has at least five different groups working on wireless charging
technology. And lending credence to the wireless charging rumors, Apple recently joined
the Wireless Power Consortium, which promotes the Qi charging standard.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the next iPhone will have wireless charging
or that Apple will use the Qi standard, but it adds more weight to the
rumors.
A new report by Mac Otakara
claims the OLED 5-inch iPhone model will be the only one of these three
to feature glass casing and wireless-charging capabilities — this goes
against the grain of previous reports that suggested all devices will
have wireless charging, so take the information with a dose of
skepticism.
Mac Otakara suggests that wireless charging will feature a separate accessory, according to MacRumors,
and will be contact-based — similar to the Apple Watch. The report also
says Apple will not have a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter in
the box, and the Lightning to USB Type-C cable will still be an
optional purchase.
A
separate report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the
iPhone 8 will have a more expensive logic board design, which would
allow for longer battery life, according to MacRumors.
The new logic-board design would allow for the OLED iPhone to have
dimensions similar to a 4.7-inch iPhone, but it could offer comparable
battery life to a 5.5-inch iPhone.
Kuo
expects the device to have a 2,700mAh L-shaped two-cell battery pack.
The OLED display could also allow the device to be more
energy-efficient, meaning the device could have better battery life than
previous 5.5-inch iPhones.
A previous report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, from MacRumors,
said Apple will use wireless charging in all three of its upcoming
iPhones this year. As wireless charging increases the internal
temperature of the device, the iPhone 8 will have a 3D Touch module with
“additional graphite sheet lamination” — this protects the phone from
malfunctioning if it overheats.
“While
we don’t expect general users to notice any difference, lamination of
an additional graphite sheet is needed for better thermal control and,
thus, steady operation; this is because FPCB is replaced with film,
which is more sensitive to temperature change of the 3D touch sensor in
OLED iPhone,” Kuo said.
The
3D Touch module could cost Apple $5 to produce per device — which adds
to reports claiming the iPhone 8 will likely cost upwards of $1,000 due
to more premium components and a massive redesign.
Energous
CEO Steve Rizzone has hinted in the past that it has inked a deal with
“one of the largest consumer electronic companies in the world,” but an investor’s note from Copperfield Research suggested that Apple has no plans to use Energous’ WattUp true wireless charging solution.
Special powers: Iris scanner and facial recognition
Apple iPhone 8 rumors and news
Apple’s iPhone 8 isn’t
supposed to arrive until much later in 2017, but that hasn’t stopped
legions of fans from fervently speculating about it. It may or may not
launch alongside the 2017 iPhone models, the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, or it could end up being an incredible technical showcase phone released as an anniversary celebration at a later date.
For
now, it’s all up in the air, but what we’re hearing about it keeps us
interested. Very interested. Here’s what we’ve learned so far about the
iPhone 8, which has also become known as the iPhone X and iPhone
Edition.
Screen: OLED for the iPhone
If
the iPhone 8, or a special edition iPhone under a different name, does
arrive in 2017, rumors say it may have an OLED screen. This would be a
first for Apple on the iPhone, but it’s not a done deal yet. While the
majority of the rumors link the two together, a report
at the beginning of March 2017 said Apple is still testing technology
for the device, including OLED and LCD screen panels, both curved and
flat.
Still,the
latest reports indicate that rumors of a curved-display iPhone are
exaggerated. While Apple may at one time have been testing an iPhone
with a curved display, IHS analyst Wayne Lam, who analyses Apple’s supply chain, said the iPhone will only come with a flat display.
“Much
like the recently announced LG G6, we anticipate a touchscreen with a
new, longer aspect ratio design to take advantage of higher coverage
area of the iPhone in its entirety. This new design language is expected
to become the trend for 2017, as we all anticipate Samsung’s reveal
later this month,” said Lam.
The
rumors first began with Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst from KGI Securities
known for his often accurate insight and predictions about Apple’s
upcoming products, who said the 2017 iPhone will feature an OLED display
that is flexible. This flexible display will also have a structural
metal component to “avoid deforming the form factor of the flexible OLED
display.” According to 9to5Mac,
Kuo said the 2017 OLED iPhone may also use a film sensor for a better
3D Touch user experience, as film sensors reportedly offer “higher
sensitivity.”
Apple’s
Touch ID technology could also be revamped to complement the bezel-less
device, in that it may be replaced by a facial recognition system. But
as there are a lot of technical challenges to the technology, the
company may use a combination of fingerprint and facial recognition
technology.
“Before
Apple can fully replace the fingerprint system with facial recognition,
a combination of the two steps of bio-recognition could be a valid
solution for enhancing transactions security,” Kuo said.
It may have to fall to the two-step method, as one of the issues reportedly plaguing the iPhone 8 is OLED production. A report from Bloomberg
revealed that the company which makes many of the machines responsible
for fabricating OLED panels, Japan-based Canon Tokki, may have trouble
meeting demand.
It
notes that Canon Tokki has “a growing backlog” of orders even after
doubling its output in 2016. Case in point: The wait for an OLED-making
machine from Canon Tokki Corp. is about two years.
Initially, Samsung was expected to be the sole supplier of new iPhone models’ displays. According to DigitTimes, it expects to ship between 60 million and 70 million OLED units in 2017 — up to a maximum of 20 million units per month.
However,
LG and Japan Display are reportedly looking to enter production later
on in the process. Another report suggests Apple is speaking with Sharp
Corp. to supply additional OLED screens. On September 30, Sharp announced a $566 million investment in developing OLED production facilities, citing June 2018 as the target date for product output.
“Apple
has unofficially or as a nod encouraged Sharp to go into it,” Amir
Anvarzadeh, Singapore-based head of Japanese equity sales at BGC
Partners Inc., told Bloomberg
in a phone interview. “Apple’s general strategy is to increase the
competition on the supply side, and dilute the risk exposure to one
company.”
If the iPhone 8 does come with an OLED screen, it’ll likely be expensive, possibly beyond $1,000. The Wall Street Journal reports
that the displays are costly to produce. However, the same report notes
that Apple could decide against the OLED model altogether. There’s
precedent for such a 180: Last year, a global shortage of sapphire glass
forced Apple to abandon the material for the iPhone 7.
The
Motley Fool report hints that OLED panels may be used across the iPhone
range in 2017 or 2018, not just on the so-called iPhone 8. According to
the DigitTimes note it found, “supply chain sources believe that 50
million of these AMOLED-equipped iPhones will make it out to customers
in the first year of availability.” While 50 million sounds like a lot,
it’s a far cry from the 200 million iPhones Apple sold last year,
perhaps indicating that the company will gradually shift into OLED
rather than equipping all phones with the new tech right away.
The
new iPhone’s display may be flexible. Samsung Display, the subdivision
of electronics behemoth Samsung that oversees the company’s display
technologies, will supply Apple with “millions” of curved screens for
the iPhone 8, according to The Korea Herald. It is reportedly of the
plastic variety as opposed to the Gorilla Glass screens of iPhones past,
and “curved all over.”
Earlier, a report from Nikkei Asian Review
suggests that at least one new iPhone will feature a premium OLED
display that’s curved on both sides, somewhat like Samsung’s Edge
series. And a document surfaced
by a Chinese social media corroborated those details. The sketches show
a high-end iPhone, code-named “Ferrari,” that boasts a “glass sandwich”
design, an edge-to-edge OLED display, wireless charging, and a
touch-sensitive home button. This device may have evolved into the
iPhone X, about which rumors began in early 2017.
Design: USB Type-C, no more bezels or home button
For
some time now, we’ve been hearing rumors that this year’s flagship
iPhone will ditch the home button in favor of a full-size OLED display.
Now, however, it appears that may not come to pass. New reports indicate
that Apple is still finalizing the design for the new iPhone, and that
while there was a prototype built without a home button, that prototype
may not end up being the final design. The report comes from Mac Otakara.
The news follows another Wall Street Journal bombshell
report in February: Apple will ditch the iPhone’s Lightning port in
favor of USB Type-C, the industry standard connector for smartphones,
laptops, and chargers. It isn’t clear from the report if Apple means to
replace the iPhone’s Lightning port with a Type-C port, and one possible
interpretation is that the Cupertino, California-based company will
adopt Type-C for the phone’s wall charger and retain the Type-C plug on
the iPhone 8 itself.
Either
way, that seems highly unlikely. Apple has long eschewed standard
USB chargers on iOS devices, preferring its own proprietary 30-pin
connector and Lightning port. It has relaxed its rigidness recently,
most visibly on its MacBook line, which features USB-C connectors. But
Apple’s new Ultra Accessory Connector would seem to signal that the
company has no plans to drop Lightning anytime soon.
The
Wall Street Journal corroborated other rumblings about the iPhone 8’s
display, home button, and more. The iPhone 8 will feature a curved OLED
screen similar to those on Samsung’s Galaxy S7 devices. It will also do
away with the physical home button. And it will launch alongside two
other smartphones.
According to noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kou,
the iPhone 8 could see the elimination of the iconic home button and
Touch ID sensor in favor of “virtual buttons” at the bottom of the
screen.
The
screen size of the new iPhone has been the subject of some debate, but
it now seems as though everyone is agreeing that it will sit at 5.8
inches. Previously, Nikkei Asian Review suggested that the display would
instead be 5 inches, however the outlet, which is known for iPhone
leaks, has since changed its tune in a revised report.
Kuo
reports that the virtual buttons will take up part of the iPhone 8’s
screen, a rumored 5.8-inch OLED panel with a resolution of 2,800 x 1,242
pixels — a figure now agreed upon by Nikkei. And he believes the phone
“will come with other biometric technologies that replace the current
fingerprint recognition technology.” Kuo notes the overall footprint
would be comparable to the 4.7-inch TFT-LED iPhone, though with a
measurably larger display size and battery life.
The Wall Street Journal said in mid-June that the iPhone 8 will be radically different. New information from sources speaking to Bloomberg
also reiterate that the iPhone 8 may “appear like a single sheet of
glass.” That would eliminate much of the bezel around the display as
well as the home button. There are mockups of the possible design all
over the internet.
Although
going back to glass may seem like an odd retro move for Apple, it would
also open up possibilities like wireless charging, which is nearly
impossible to achieve with an all-metal device.
Moreover,
Kuo suggests that higher-end models of future iPhones will likely use
stainless steel in their cases — so look out, world. We’re about to get real fancy.
Here’s
a concept video made by Ran Avni at ConceptsiPhone, which shows what a
borderless iPhone could look like. The design in the video is based
on Marek Weidlich’s design on Behance.
BGR is intimating that the top bezel
will also be removed. That would be a tricky move, as the top bezel
houses the ambient light sensor, a proximity sensor, the front speaker,
and the front-facing camera. However, the iPhone 8 may feature a
touchscreen with embedded sensors.
A
recent report from market research firm Cowen and Company suggests that
the iPhone 8’s earpiece, FaceTime camera, and Touch ID fingerprint
sensor will be embedded into the screen, allowing for a seamless
edge-to-edge front panel. And it claims that Apple may switch to
Synaptic’s optical-based fingerprint reader for the new Touch ID, citing
it as “currently the only workable solution” for detecting a
fingerprint through a smartphone screen.
A
patent discovered by Apple Insider suggests that Apple has considered
moving the front-facing sensors to underneath the display. For a closer
look, you can check out U.S. patent No. 9,466,653, titled “Electronic devices with display-integrated light sensors.”
These reports corroborate rumors brought to light by Apple insider John Gruber,
who was among the first to say that the iPhone 8 also may not have a
single bezel — that plays well with the idea of a single sheet of glass.
The entire front of the device could be one giant display, and the
Touch ID sensor would be embedded in the screen itself. This has been
reiterated in The New York Times.
As
for the size of the devices, Gruber says he doesn’t know whether Apple
is “going to shrink the actual thing in your hand to fit the screen
sizes we already have, or whether they’re going to grow the screens to
fit the devices we’re already used to holding.”
The name: iPhone 8, iPhone X, or even iPhone Edition
Despite
being known as the iPhone 8 in many rumors, the phone may
come alongside the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus in late 2017. This may confuse
things for 2018, when an iPhone 8 would be more logical, if we follow
Apple’s usual naming traditions. That’s why Apple may decide to use a
different name for it, and there are several possible options being
rumored.
The latest is the possibility it will be named the iPhone Edition.
Although unusual, this fits in with Apple’s strategy with the Apple
Watch, when it referred to the expensive versions made from precious
metals as the Watch Edition. We’re expecting the iPhone 8 to be a
special edition of some kind, due to the rumors connecting it with some
cutting-edge technology not found in the regular iPhone, so it does make
some sense. However, it’s not a catchy name, and although it comes from
a credible source, is still entirely unofficial. Additionally, the
source says the iPhone Edition will have a 5-inch screen, not a 5.8-inch
screen as previously expected, which may point to it being a different
phone entirely.
Alternatively,
the other name being rumored is the iPhone X. Cool, right? And one
suitably fitting for all the next-generation technology that’s supposed
to be packed inside. This comes from anonymous sources speaking to Fast Company,
where several other rumors about the phone are repeated, including that
it will have a 5.8-inch OLED screen, without bezels, mounted in a body
made of stainless steel. The glass back from older iPhone models may
make a return, too. The familiar Home button may disappear, to be
replaced by new touch technology under the screen, and even the volume
and sleep/wake keys may be removed, ready for touch-sensitive panels
instead.
It
doesn’t stop there. Another piece of exciting new tech rumored for the
iPhone X is a 3D-sensing camera, which may be used for facial
recognition, or for augmented reality. Add in a bigger battery and a
cool-sounding “monolithic” design, and the iPhone X sounds like the most
technically exciting iPhone we’ve ever seen. However, it may all come
at a steep price, with a tag in excess of $1,000 likely.
Before
we get too far ahead of ourselves, none of the iPhone X’s rumored
specification has been confirmed, and there’s a chance some of the
features mentioned are for future iPhone models, and won’t all arrive on
a single, amazing phone. We can still hope though.
Release date and price
Apple
traditionally launches a new iPhone every year in September. So far,
that seems likely to happen yet again in 2017. The iPhone 8, as it has
become known, may be renamed the iPhone X or iPhone Edition, and act as a
special anniversary edition of the phone. However, while the phone may
be announced alongside the iPhone 7S/7S Plus, it may not be released
until later, according to this source.
Apple has reportedly asked manufacturers to start trial production earlier than usual — in the first quarter of 2017, according to DigiTimes. It’s unlikely the release date will be moved up earlier, but perhaps Apple is anticipating higher demand than usual.
We
have no information on a specific launch or release date yet. The
price? The iPhone 8/iPhone X/iPhone Edition may cost more than $1,000,
due to the amount of new technology inside and mandatory high-end
specifications. A 256GB iPhone 7 Plus is $970 already, so this isn’t a
huge stretch.
Camera: A better dual camera and “revolutionary” 3D front camera
A
new rumor suggests the iPhone 8 has a thing or two in common with
Microsoft’s depth-sensing Kinect sensor. According to a report published
by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the upcoming iPhone’s front camera
boasts a “revolutionary” infrared sensor that can sense the
three-dimensional space in front of it.
It’s
said to be aimed at taking selfies. According to Kuo, the front sensor
merges depth information with 2D images for features like facial
recognition in tandem with Touch ID. It could be used to replace a video
game character’s head with that of the user, or to generate a 3D selfie
that would integrate seamlessly with virtual reality applications.
Apple is likely to eventually open the 3D scanning capabilities to third-party developers.
The technology
was developed by PrimeSense, the company behind Microsoft’s Kinect. The
infrared transmitter reportedly uses a technique known as
vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser technology from Lumentum, which
works by sending invisible IR light signals outward from the phone and
then detecting the signals that bounce back off of objects.
View photos
It’s said to be expensive. According to an analysis
by JPMorgan market researcher Rod Hall, the infrared sensor could add
as much as $10 to $15 per module, lending credence to rumors that the
iPhone 8 will be as much as $100 pricier than its predecessors.
The
iPhone’s front camera isn’t the handset’s only highlight. It’ll boast
dual vertical cameras, likely with functionality similar to the cameras
on the existing iPhone 7 Plus. And the new iPhones will reportedly be
able to shoot in portrait orientation and take advantage of the dual
lens system.
Japanese blog Mac Otakara,
citing an unnamed Taiwanese supplier, suggests dual cameras will be a
part of the upcoming iPhone lineup. They’re rumored to be arranged in
a vertical configuration as opposed to the current horizontal layout on
the 7 Plus.
And according to a report from The Korea Economic Daily,
Apple is collaborating with LG to create a dual-camera module that
would allow for 3D photographing. This would certainly make sense, as LG
is already the company behind the iPhone 7 Plus camera. While Apple
previously patented 3D-object and gesture recognition, it’s unclear whether the upcoming iPhone will bring these patents to life.
Specs: A11 chip
Every year, Apple upgrades the processor in its new iPhone. The iPhone 8 will likely get the new A11 chip, which DigiTimes
reports will use a 10nm manufacturing process. The chip should be even
faster than the A10 Fusion processor, which has been heralded by critics
as the best mobile phone processor.
If
the iPhone 8 is announced alongside the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, it may
share the same A11 chip as those new phones. And according to Chinese
research firm Trendforce it’ll have plenty of internal storage: The
iPhone 8’s said to come in two configurations, 64GB and 256GB. RAM
remains a mystery.
Battery: Wireless charging
View photos
Apple
has long been rumored to be working on wireless charging for a future
version of the iPhone, and rumors suggest it will use its own self-built
tech.
According to Reuters,
Apple has at least five different groups working on wireless charging
technology. And lending credence to the wireless charging rumors, Apple recently joined
the Wireless Power Consortium, which promotes the Qi charging standard.
It doesn’t necessarily mean the next iPhone will have wireless charging
or that Apple will use the Qi standard, but it adds more weight to the
rumors.
A new report by Mac Otakara
claims the OLED 5-inch iPhone model will be the only one of these three
to feature glass casing and wireless-charging capabilities — this goes
against the grain of previous reports that suggested all devices will
have wireless charging, so take the information with a dose of
skepticism.
Mac Otakara suggests that wireless charging will feature a separate accessory, according to MacRumors,
and will be contact-based — similar to the Apple Watch. The report also
says Apple will not have a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack adapter in
the box, and the Lightning to USB Type-C cable will still be an
optional purchase.
A
separate report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the
iPhone 8 will have a more expensive logic board design, which would
allow for longer battery life, according to MacRumors.
The new logic-board design would allow for the OLED iPhone to have
dimensions similar to a 4.7-inch iPhone, but it could offer comparable
battery life to a 5.5-inch iPhone.
Kuo
expects the device to have a 2,700mAh L-shaped two-cell battery pack.
The OLED display could also allow the device to be more
energy-efficient, meaning the device could have better battery life than
previous 5.5-inch iPhones.
A previous report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, from MacRumors,
said Apple will use wireless charging in all three of its upcoming
iPhones this year. As wireless charging increases the internal
temperature of the device, the iPhone 8 will have a 3D Touch module with
“additional graphite sheet lamination” — this protects the phone from
malfunctioning if it overheats.
“While
we don’t expect general users to notice any difference, lamination of
an additional graphite sheet is needed for better thermal control and,
thus, steady operation; this is because FPCB is replaced with film,
which is more sensitive to temperature change of the 3D touch sensor in
OLED iPhone,” Kuo said.
The
3D Touch module could cost Apple $5 to produce per device — which adds
to reports claiming the iPhone 8 will likely cost upwards of $1,000 due
to more premium components and a massive redesign.
Energous
CEO Steve Rizzone has hinted in the past that it has inked a deal with
“one of the largest consumer electronic companies in the world,” but an investor’s note from Copperfield Research suggested that Apple has no plans to use Energous’ WattUp true wireless charging solution.
Special powers: Iris scanner and facial recognition
View photos
A Fujitsu phone with an iris scanner is pctured above.
Don’t look
now, but Apple may be jumping on the iris sensor bandwagon. A new
report from DigiTimes claims that Apple is planning on adding iris sensor technology in the iPhone 8.
Previously,
analyst Timothy Arcuri of Cowen and Company said the iPhone 8 may
feature facial and gesture recognition powered by a laser sensor and an
infrared sensor near the front-facing camera. And an older DigiTimes report citing “unnamed” industry sources reported that Apple’s is prepping some form of pupil-scanning tech for a debut on the iPhone 8 as early as 2018.
The
report was otherwise light on detail, save that electronics
manufacturers like Qualcomm, Truly Opto-Electronics, O-film Tech, and
Beijing IrisKing are expected to ramp up production of the necessary
silicon. But it’s not an outrageous report. Apple, no doubt pressured by
rivals like Samsung, has been pursuing alternative forms of biometric
identification for some time. It’s just a question of whether the tech
will arrive in 2017 or 2018.
Well-respected industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported
as recently as March that the iPhone 8 would introduce “recognition
technology” like face and iris scanning alongside a curved, all-glass
chassis and AMOLED screen. In the past several months, the company has
made acquisitions that lend credence to those rumors. It purchased facial recognition firm Emotient earlier this year, and in September acquired real-time rendering firm Faceshift.
Apple’s
patent filings, meanwhile, suggest a long-running effort to develop a
reliable method of identifying facial features. Four years ago, the
company was granted one patent, “Electronic Device Operation Adjustment
Based on Face Detection,” that details a front-facing camera system that
can recognize a user’s face. A second, “Low Threshold Face
Recognition,” describes a facial recognition solution capable of
identifying the individual features of a face even in poor lighting
conditions. Both, intriguingly, mention accompanying software that
automatically tailors the device’s settings and screens to individual,
recognized users.
Dovetailing with those developments is Apple’s long-rumored desire to eliminate the iPhone’s iconic Touch ID home button. Apple Insider reported that
the company is developing — and has several patents describing — a
display that can recognize multiple fingerprints. But it reportedly
won’t come to market until next year, as Apple engineers work
to overcome the many “technical challenges” with the technology.
In early 2017, anonymous sources talking to Fast Company
said Apple has been working with a company called Lumentum and may
include a 3D-sensing camera or sensor on the iPhone 8/iPhone X. It may
be used for facial recognition, rather than iris scanning, or for
augmented reality applications.
Size and materials: Glass, ceramic, steel?
Jessica Lee Star/Digital Trends
If
you’re one of the few who thinks that the iPhone 6S Plus is too small
for your probably huge hands, we’ve got good news for you. According to
several reports, the iPhone 8 may feature a massive 5.8-inch screen. Of
course, if the bezel is removed, the larger screen size may not mean an
increase in body size, and the phone itself could have the same physical
dimensions as the current 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.
The first report came from the Motley Fool,
which picked up on a note obtained from DigiTimes. The iPhone
8 would complement the already quite large 5.5-inch iPhone 7S Plus,
which could debut at the same time. As for design, noted KGI Securities
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple may experiment with either
glass, ceramic, or plastic backs on the iPhone 8.
There
have been a ton of rumors about the materials to be used to build the
next iPhone, and while some suggest that the device will have an
all-glass back, new rumors say that instead, Apple may switch out
aluminum for stainless steel. The report, from DigiTimes,
says that the iPhone 8 will come with a stainless steel frame. If true,
it would mark a return to stainless steel for Apple, which used the
material in its phone in the iPhone 4S. This rumor also showed up in
early 2017, alongside talk the iPhone 8 maybe renamed the iPhone X.
Durability: More water-resistant
iPhone 7 Plus
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
The
iPhone 7 was the first device in the iPhone family that could be
submerged up to a meter underwater for 30 minutes. But rumor has it that
Apple’s going to take it a step further with the next iPhones, ramping
up the IP rating from IP67 to IP68 and putting it on par with the
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
More: Apple iPhone SE review
The rumor comes from the Korea Herald,
which cites “multiple sources.” Most people will hardly notice a
difference, to be fair. The IP68-rating allows submersion up to about 5
feet for 30 minutes, a minor improvement over the 3.3 depth against
which IP67-certified devices are protected.
Article
originally published on 07-25-2016 by Kyle Wiggers. Updated on
03-10-2017 by Christian de Looper: Added report that despite rumors,
5.8-inch iPhone will come with a flat display.
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