10th Anniversary iPhone:
The original iPhone was a sensation when it first came out all those years ago, dazzling the world with its tiny touchscreen and lack of physical keyboards. Jump forward 10 years and the smartphone landscape is pretty different, with innovation at a standstill and even the likes of Apple using almost the same design for three generations running.
Consumers are rightfully bored, and it’ll take a miracle for Apple to spark the kind of excitement the very first iPhone inspired. That miracle could arrive in the form of a truly breakthrough iPhone 8, checking off almost every single item accumulated on the Apple fanboy wish-list over the past decade. Curved OLED screen? Check. No pesky bezels? Check. Wireless charging? Check.
Anyone who’s been keeping an eye on Apple’s naming conventions knows that the brand follows a tick-tock pattern of adding the letter ‘S’ to a number in a series’ second generation. It follows that the next pair of handsets to come out of the firm’s stable will be called the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus. That is indeed happening, but there’s a twist.
Apple’s apparently not going to stick to just two smartphones this year. Instead, it plans to launch three phones. Two will be direct updates to the iPhone 7 and one will be a premium offering celebrating the tenth anniversary of the iPhone. The last one is what’s got everyone so excited, but no one knows for sure what it’ll be called.
Some say the handset will be named the iPhone Edition (like the Apple Watch Edition), iPhone X, iPhone Pro (like the MacBook Pro and iPad Pro), or simply iPhone. There are even whispers of there being no iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models this year, with Apple just releasing an iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus/Pro.
Keeping track of every single iPhone 8 rumor can be an overwhelming task for even the most diligent Apple enthusiast, which is why we’ve brought the most likely ones together under one roof. Read on to find out what exactly the brand has planned for the iPhone’s tenth birthday.
Image Credit: iDrop News and Benjamin Geskin
Display:
The iPhone 8 having a 5.8-inch OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) screen is pretty much gospel at this point, as is the fact that bitter rival Samsung is taking up the responsibility of supplying these panels. Switching from LED to OLED will translate to true inky blacks and vivid colors.
More importantly, OLED displays can be curved. Apple was reportedly going to run with this and wrap the panel around the sides of the iPhone 8, but had to drop the idea eventually because of yield issues. There’s a chance it might play it safe and stick to a flat screen with 2.5D curved glass.
The good news here is that no matter how bent the display ends up being, it will almost certainly feature no home button and minimal bezels. Apple’s even patented a way to hide the array of sensors usually found up top (more on this later!).
Image Credit: Tokar
Design
While an OLED screen can almost certainly be taken as a guarantee, questions still remain about what the panel will be attached to. The most popular narrative is that Apple plans to introduce an all-glass style that’s held together by a stainless steel band. It’s a bit of a retro throwback since the iPhone 4 featured the same look.
Apple’s not using the same steel it utilized all those years ago though, implementing a new forging process to make it sturdier. Mac Otakara has added to this speculation by stating that the brand was going to steal the Apple Watch’s polished stainless steel frame and improve upon it. This will probably result in a smooth blending of glass and steel so that the iPhone 8 looks like a black monolith.
Speculation so far has suggested that that the iPhone 8 will occupy the same approximate physical real estate as the iPhone 7 while boasting of a bigger full-face display. However, newer reports have indicated that the upcoming device will be a bit bigger than the latter. Oh, and the extra screen space may result in a very tall 18.5:9 aspect ratio, similar to the Galaxy S8.
Image Credit: iDrop News
Function Area
Apple marked the 25th anniversary of its first notebook in 2016 by releasing a MacBook Pro with an OLED Touch Bar. The narrow strip replaced the function keys along the top with virtual ones that dynamically changed according to what application was open. Odds are the brand is going to bring this functionality over to the iPhone 8 to celebrate the smartphone lineup’s anniversary.
The main factor supporting this theory is a research note by Apple analyst Ming Chi-Kuo. He predicts that only 5.15-inch out of the iPhone 8’s panel will be devoted to the display. The remaining area at the bottom will be called the ‘Function Area.’ This may well be the home of the handset’s own mini Touch Bar, perhaps showcasing editing tools in Photos and browsing tools in Safari.
Touch ID
With the physical home button gone, Apple has to deal with the issue of where to place Touch ID. The most prevalent narrative is that the tech major is going to integrate a fingerprint reader underneath the iPhone 8’s display, perhaps using Apple’s patented light-based optical solution or its acoustic wave technology.
This is the best case scenario. If Apple doesn’t get over the problems it’s facing in trying to do this, it might be forced to relocate Touch ID to the rear or eliminate it altogether. Neither option will be popular among fans, so let’s hope the brand manages a breakthrough.
Image Credit: Moe Slah
Wireless Charging
Wireless charging is one of those features that finds a place in most iPhone predictions, but Apple keeps letting people down year after year. This cycle of disappointment has a very real chance of ending in 2017 thanks to the introduction of glass on the back of the iPhone 8.
Glass is better for wireless charging than metal. A number of schematic leaks have further confirmed this notion, with Qi charging coils seen as strong proof that some sort of charging pad is being developed. Some say Apple is working on truly wireless long-range charging done over a distance, as was seen in a patent where a Wi-Fi router delivered data and power.
Image Credit: ConceptsiPhone
Transparent iPhone
Speaking of glass backs, one fascinating Apple patent filed in 2015 covers how the brand plans to deal with selfie cameras and assorted sensors now that there’s no bezel up top. It’s developed a method to place these modules inside tiny holes that can’t be seen by the human eye.
In a sci-fi twist, this technology could also be used to implement a heads-up display system which places transparent windows on the front and back of an iPhone. A person would be able to look through these windows and view digital imagery on top of the real world. The iPhone would therefore work as a bridge to augmented and mixed reality.
Given how advanced the concept is, there’s a slim chance it’ll make its way to the iPhone 8. Still, it’s something to look forward to in future iPhones if Apple sticks to the idea.
Image Credit: ConceptsiPhone
Vertical Dual Rear Cameras
If you were unimpressed with the iPhone 7 Plus’ dual rear cameras because it did run-of-the-mill bokeh and zooming effects, you might be happy to hear that Apple is supposedly planning to add some AR and VR magic to the iPhone 8. The module is probably going to be vertical rather than horizontal.
This is key since some experts say that the vertical layout with the flash module in between will be ideal for VR. Japanese blog Mac Otakara claims that the new outline would be a good fit for VR headsets currently available in the market, and make virtual reality shooting possible.
Apple might be cooking up something interesting for augmented reality as well. A 2010-era patent talked about overlaying a live video feed with graphics, allowing you to view digital directions on top of a real-world surrounding. The iPhone 8 may even be able to point at any object and recognize it.
3D Selfie Camera
Apple might be gearing up to revolutionize the selfie camera after neglecting it for years. The all-new high-pixel-density snapper could be paired with an infrared transmitter and receiver to detect the 3D space in front of it and merge depth data with 2D images in order to map a model of your face. This in turn makes things like iris recognition, face scanning and 3D selfies possible.
One cool application of the iPhone 8’s 3D sensing capability could involve swapping out a game character’s head for yours in an AR-ready app. As for face recognition, Apple might use technology developed by an acquisition called RealFace. The startup uses AI smarts to identify faces quickly and accurately. A 3D laser scanner could be adopted for this purpose.
Image Credit: Handy Abovergleich
Apple Pencil
Apple’s iPad Pro features three things exclusive to the lineup – Apple Pencil support, a Smart Connector, and a True Tone display. These three may not be restricted to the tablet anymore, with a couple of scattered reports hinting that the company is going to bring these Pro functionalities to its next iPhone.
SlashGear reports that Apple Pencil might be sold with a bigger iPhone 8 Plus/Pro model, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Note 8 strategy. As for evidence, the firm has already patented the concept of a new Apple Pencil which can be used with both iPhones and iPads, plus iOS 10 has had a handwriting option in iMessage for a long time now.
The iPad Pro’s 3-dot Smart Connector had been spotted in the iPhone 7 rumor circuit last year and popped up again in the frenzy of speculation surrounding the iPhone 8. This time round, the belief is that the interface would allow for VR and AR applications, in addition to serving as a way to connect keyboards wirelessly.
Image Credit: Handy Abovergleich
Better Waterproofing
The iPhone 8 is probably going to improve upon the iPhone 7’s water repelling skills with an IP68 rating against dust and liquids. While the older model can stay submerged for up to 1 meter for 30 minutes and live to tell the tale, the younger one might be able to go up to 1.5 meters deep.
That’s not all Apple may be developing though. The company debuted a pretty innovative waterproofing technique in last year’s Apple Watch Series 2 which involves throwing out water that gets into it through an audio pulse. The firm patented a similar method for handsets as well. If implemented, you might find the iPhone 8 spitting liquid out through its speakers.
Image Credit: Herman Haydin
Bigger Battery
If there’s one thing legions of Apple fans and haters can find common ground on, it’s the fact that iPhones have pretty weak battery lives, especially compared to what the competition is offering. Not only that, but none of the models offer fast charging skills.
Apple appears to be finally doing something about this, with reports asserting that the iPhone 8 will get a bigger 2-cell L-shaped 2700mAh battery. Making things even better is the fact that OLED panels don’t drain as much power as LCD screens.
Apple may update the Lightning port by enhancing it with Type-C Power Delivery technology for fast charging. Rumor has it the brand is looking to replace the USB-A connector with a USB-C one. While this would be a blessing for MacBook users who have access to Thunderbolt USB-C slots, it will probably not go down well with the millions of people who don’t have USB-C ports at their disposal.
Image Credit: Concept Creator
Price
Apple isn’t one to shy away from exorbitant prices for its products and the iPhone 8 evidently isn’t going to break with this business strategy. A Goldman Sachs report expects the 128GB model to be sold at $999 (roughly Rs 64000) and the 256GB one, at $1099 (approx Rs 70400). Faster NAND/DRAM memory is expected to be on the cards, with the latter perhaps of the 3GB variety.
Paying $1000 for a smartphone would give anyone pause, but Apple might make it worth your while by bundling a pair of hard-to-get wireless AirPods in the box. This may not pan out since the accessories are in short supply right now; but including it makes sense given the premium nature of the iPhone 8. Ordinary wired EarPods just won’t cut it, especially if the device is headphone jack-less.
Availability
When exactly the iPhone 8 is getting launched has been a hotly contested topic for months on end, with wildly contrasting reports pouring out of every corner. The most optimistic scenario is that Apple will announce the phone alongside the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus in September, but release it in such limited quantities that you’ll have to wait a while to get it, similar to what we faced with the Jet Black iPhone 7 situation.
The worst-case scenario is that Apple won’t be able to resolve production difficulties in time, meaning manufacturing could be delayed to October/November rather than the usual August/September time frame. This could translate to the iPhone 8 hitting stores in early 2018, a pretty severe gap.
Apple will have to pull an extremely compelling smartphone out of its hat in exchange for your patience. But if most of the rumors in this list pan out, the iPhone 8 may well be worth the wait.