Apple is expected to launch the next generation of its iPhone series later this year.
The new iPhone 8 series, if the rumors are correct, will be different in size and feel.
digitimes cited a source indicating that Apple will launch three models in different sizes. These include 4.7, 5.5, and 5.8 inches. The phones are expected to be released in the second half of 2017.
The phones will have a curved screen similar to the 5.5-inch Galaxy S7 Edge.
The tech giant expects to sell many of these new editions. It is expected that between 60 and 70 million units of the larger version alone will be sold.
Some believe that the two smaller versions will actually be called the 7s and 7s Plus, as Apple has done with previous lines.
The iPhone 8 could be the 10th anniversary special edition as the company introduces a special phone to mark the milestone of the decade.
Many reporters following this space say that the iPhone 8 will have an OLED screen. The screens will be supplied by Samsung.
The screens could be made of plastic instead of glass. Some believe the surround-style OLED screen will have built-in sensors for things like gesture recognition.
an article of PCADVISOR in the UK cited Robert Scoble, a well-known technology strategist, who posted on Facebook that the phone’s screen will be a piece of transparent glass where holograms can be placed over the real world, much like Microsoft HoloLens does. There will be a new type of interface with a pop-out headset. The headset will have a sensor on it.
He cites sources indicating that the battery and antennas will be hidden around the edges of the screen. Apple will fit some of the parts, even when most of the chips that make up a phone are in a package/strip on the bottom of the phone.
The article points to a patent report for a bezel-less phone. The technology could feature display technology that uses self-illuminating pixels (such as OLEDs) arranged on a flexible surface with gaps in between.
Other rumors include a report that Apple is ditching the home button for a system that places fingerprint detection technology below the screen.
Both CNET and Apple Insider They claim that Apple will forge the iPhone 8 from steel.
A new red color for the iPhone is also available, according to a Japanese site makotacara. This is in addition to the usual black, jet black, silver gold, and rose gold options.
The camera is believed to be a continuation of the dual lens setup. Business Insider reports that Apple is thinking of integrating augmented reality (AR) into the camera app.
Additional predictions include that the new line of phones could feature wireless charging. The physical home button could also be removed.
Facial recognition and/or iris scanning is another possibility. Security could include biometric data storage, fingerprint capture, and possibly the photo of the thief who stole the phone.
Some believe that Apple is creating an electronic SIM card to replace the physical SIM cards in use today. The benefit will provide the user with more flexible roaming and will eliminate the need for specific SIM cards for each operation.
The price is still in limbo, but many believe that one or all of the so-called iPhone 8 will be Apple’s most expensive phones to date.
Apple rarely misses out on its new phone introductions and the new iPhone 8 series will be something the tech world is watching with the greatest anticipation.
