We’d forgive the iPhone 7 for feeling a little under-appreciated, since it seems like all anyone can talk about these days is the next iPhone. After all, 2017 marks the iPhone’s 10th birthday, so Apple is reportedly gearing up to make its anniversary edition extra special.We’ll keep track of the latest rumors and how plausible they are, and we’ll put them in one spot (this one!) so you can pop on over whenever you want to read the latest.If you passed on the iPhone 7 to wait for the iPhone 8—or the iPhone 7s or whatever name Apple decides to use—it sounds like the next phone could be the design refresh you were waiting for. Just don’t expect the headphone jack to return.
What’s the latest?
The rumor: There are conflicting theories regarding the iPhone 8’s launch window. Some have speculated that Apple may miss the traditional September launch window because a lot of custom-ordered parts, including pieces for the display, wireless charging, and printed circuit boards, won’t be ready by September, according to the latest findings from Nikkei Asian Review. The iPhone 7s models are expected to come out on schedule, however.
In this report, an analyst from research company IHS Markit confirmed that Samsung is now the exclusive OLED supplier for the new iPhones, since Samsung specializes in manufacturing curved smartphone displays. However, the analyst says that “Samsung is facing challenges in delivering what Apple wants,” even though they’ve cranked out close to 75 million curved iPhone displays so far.
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This is not the first time we’ve heard that Apple has faced roadblocks during the iPhone 8’s production.This follows an earlier report from reputable KGI analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, which reported that the iPhone 8 will be out in October or November due to these supply issues. Previously, Digitimes reported that Apple was facing delays in developing its proprietary fingerprint sensor for the new OLED-equipped iPhone 8. Additionally, Japanese news site Macotakara reported that STMicroelectronics, the new supplier of the iPhone’s 3D camera sensors, needed more time to ramp up mass production. With all these production issues, some reports even suggest that the iPhone 8 won’t come out until 2018.
Then there are the analysts at JPMorgan who predict Apple will take the wraps off its new iPhone at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June, something the company hasn’t done since 2010. JPMorgan says in a note obtained by 9to5Mac that Apple won’t start selling the phone until fall after previewing it at WWDC, which would fly in the face of Apple-established tradition.
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Plausible? At first, it seemed very unlikely that Apple would miss its typical September launch date. Plus, Digitimes doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to iPhone rumors. But now that Nikkei Asian Review and Ming-Chi Kuo are jumping on board, this rumor gets a credibility boost. Apple is tinkering with assembling OLEDs for the first time, as well as incorporating new fingerprint and camera sensors—so if there was an iPhone model that requires a little more time, the iPhone 8 would be it.
The JPMorgan prediction seems far less likely. Apple CEO Tim Cook on the company’s second-quarter earnings call said that people are now pausing their iPhone purchases because they see rumors of upcoming iPhones and want to wait. Announcing an iPhone 8 in June and not making it available to buy until September would all but kill Apple’s iPhone business—at least without hefty discounts to spur sales.
Wireless charging?
The rumor: The new iPhone will come with wireless charging. A note by JPMorgan that was published on CNBC revealed that the next iPhone will include a wireless chip by Broadcom. The note did not specify which wireless charging standard will be supported by the iPhone, although Broadcom makes chips that support both Qi and PMA.
Furthermore, JPMorgan did not reveal which iPhone model will have wireless charging. But an earlier report by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that Apple was expected to add wireless charging to all of its 2017 iPhones, including the special anniversary iPhone 8, as well as the next-generation 7s and 7s Plus.
Plausible? Yes. The addition of wireless charging was one of the first reliable rumors we heard about the forthcoming iPhone 8. In February, Apple joined the Wireless Power Consortium behind the Qi system, but the iPhone’s wireless charging could support PMA as well. Samsung, a fellow consortium member, includes both Qi and PMA capabilities in its Galaxy phones.
The addition of wireless charging would also explain Apple’s move to using all-glass casing, another previously rumored feature. Even though some metal and plastic smartphones have wireless charging, using glass is faster and there are fewer frequency disruptions. Apple could decide to limit the feature to the iPhone 8, but with the 7s and 7s Plus expected to be remade with all-glass casing, the addition of wireless charging might encourage more people to upgrade. While the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus models might lack OLED due to production constraints, putting wireless charging would go a long way toward making the next iPhone a must-buy.
Touch ID on the front?
The rumor: New renderings show the version of iPhone 8 that everyone seems to want: edge-to-edge OLED display with the Touch ID fingerprint sensor hidden underneath the display, not placed on the back. In addition, the renderings also show that the rear cameras in a vertical alignment.
These iPhone 8 renderings seem to be inspired by a recent leak of internal schematics that surfaced on SlashLeaks. Those schematics also included a facial recognition front-facing camera, an infrared sensor, a stacked mainboard design, and two battery units.
Plausible? Certainly! The iPhone 8 is rumored to have an extensive feature list, so even if not all of them are true, a stacked mainboard design would not only be plausible but necessary. And we’re crossing our fingers still for a Touch ID sensor that’s not on the back of the device, so these schematics make us happy for that reason, as well.
Touch ID on the back?
The rumor: Apple might move one of its essential features, Touch ID, to the back of the iPhone 8. According to Pacific Crest Securities analyst Andy Hargreaves, Apple is having technical issues integrating the Touch ID sensor right on the display of the new virtual Home button. Apple might forced to delay the production of the iPhone 8 in order to fix the issue. Another possibility, according to Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri, is that Apple will resort to placing the Touch ID sensors on the back, similar to the new Galaxy S8 and the Pixel phones by Google. According to Bloomberg, Apple has prototyped a version with Touch ID on the back of the device, which leaker Sonny Dickson shared a photo of on Twitter.
Plausible? Although we previously have heard rumblings about a delay, it’s very unlikely for Apple not to have all the features set at this point. Touch ID is such an important part for enabling Apple Pay that it’s hard to imagine a highly-anticipated iPhone 8 without it. And moving Touch ID to the back of the device is not very intuitive if you want to unlock your iPhone with your thumb or while it’s laying down flat. It’s a design flaw we hope Apple doesn’t succumb to, but if we have to choose between Touch ID on the back or no Touch ID at all…we’ll begrudgingly accept the former.
Another potential reason for a fingertip-sized cut-out on the back of the iPhone casing is wireless charging, which is a rumor we’ve been hearing over and over again. But if Samsung couldn’t manage to put a fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy S8 due to technical issues, Apple might have a serious problem.
Plausible? Although we previously have heard rumblings about a delay, it’s very unlikely for Apple not to have all the features set at this point. Touch ID is such an important part for enabling Apple Pay that it’s hard to imagine a highly-anticipated iPhone 8 without it. And moving Touch ID to the back of the device is not very intuitive if you want to unlock your iPhone with your thumb or while it’s laying down flat. It’s a design flaw we hope Apple doesn’t succumb to, but if we have to choose between Touch ID on the back or no Touch ID at all…we’ll begrudgingly accept the former.
Another potential reason for a fingertip-sized cut-out on the back of the iPhone casing is wireless charging, which is a rumor we’ve been hearing over and over again. But if Samsung couldn’t manage to put a fingerprint sensor in the Galaxy S8 due to technical issues, Apple might have a serious problem.
Plausible? Renders can be hit or miss, but this seems like a very plausible design, if the edge-to-edge rumor is true. Still, the final look reminds us a little bit of the Samsung Galaxy lineup! What we really can’t wait to find out is if Apple uses special materials for a high-end iPhone Edition, like it did with the Apple Watch Edition, and also what colors the new iPhone will sport.
Could it be USB-C?
The rumor: Each new report about the iPhone 8’s features reinforces the ones before it, but the latest rumor from the Wall Street Journal is one we haven’t heard before. The WSJ says Apple will replace the iPhone Lightning port with a USB-C connector.
This is huge. Apple just did away with the iPhone’s headphone jack and included Lightning EarPods in the box instead of the 3.5mm earphones it has shipped with previous generations of iPhones. Now it appears that those Lightning earphones are already being phased out.
Plausible? Certainly. Apple has no qualms about ditching old technology, even its own. Remember the 30-pin connector that it sacrificed for the proprietary Lightning port? A move to USB-C would actually be a positive one, at least in terms of compatibility. USB-C is a standard that tech companies are quickly adopting, so the iPhone would finally play nice with peripherals and accessories that aren’t made or licensed by Apple. The new MacBooks are also all-in with USB-C, so it wouldn’t be at all surprising if the iPhone made the move.
USB-C? Not so fast
The rumor: Just a few days after The Wall Street Journal revealed new information about the forthcoming iPhone 8 (full rumor above), a prominent Apple analyst is denying the intel. KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo is refuting that the 2017 iPhone will replace the Lightning port for a USB-C connector. In fact, Apple is allegedly adding fast-charging capabilities to its proprietary Lightning connector for “type C power delivery” without having to change the port and cables.
According to Kuo, Apple doesn’t have enough incentive to use USB-C. First of all, USB-C takes up more space inside the iPhone, which would change the form factor. In addition, since USB-C is universal, switching to it would remove the MFi royalties that Apple gets from licensing its property Lightning technology to third-party iOS accessory-makers.
Plausible? Highly. Switching connectors is not a decision Apple usually takes lightly, so the benefits would have to drastically outweigh the current technology. And Lightning seems to be working for the iPhone and iPad, despite the fact that they’re incompatible with even the new MacBooks. Plus, Kuo is a reliable source when it comes from reports from the Apple’s assembly line.
However, we can’t totally dismiss the WSJ report. Perhaps Apple has considered switching to USB-C. It would make its iOS products more compatible with third-party accessories and peripherals, a benefit now that the iPad Pro is being advertised as a PC replacement. The switch to USB-C would certainly be more user-friendly, but it might also counter Apple’s closed ecosystem strategy, which doesn’t seem to be a drawback for iPhone and iPad sales.
Curved display or no curved display?
The rumor: Early reports about the iPhone 8’s OLED display indicated that Apple was aiming to make a curved screen. The WSJ reports that plan is still in the works, though Chinese research firm TrendForce said earlier in February that early prototypes weren’t up to Apple’s standards. Apparently that’s no longer the case: Apple “has ordered sufficient components to enable mass production,” the Journal’s sources said.
Apple is getting its curved OLED displays from Samsung, who started producing those displays for its own phones back in 2014 and is the only manufacturer who can make enough of the curved OLED panels to supply Apple.
The iPhone 8 is also reportedly ditching the physical home button, though it’s unclear if Apple is ready to make the move to iris recognition for phone unlocking or if the company will find a way to embed the Touch ID sensor in the display itself.
Plausible? A curved OLED display would be a significant departure in design for Apple and a compelling reason to snag the iPhone 8, which is rumored to be priced at north of $1,000. Apple was rumored to be running into constraints finding OLED display suppliers who can make enough panels to build the next-gen iPhone, but the WSJ is reliable when it comes to Apple rumors. Expect a curved OLED screen to set the iPhone 8 apart.
Facial recognition?
The rumor: The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus got a rear-facing camera overhaul, the 7 Plus with an extra lens for telephoto shots. Apple is turning its attention to the front-facing camera in the iPhone 8 with facial recognition, a 3D sensor, and infrared transmitter and receiver. The rumor comes from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and a research note from investment banking firm Cowen and Company published by Business Insider. Apple purchased the facial recognition startup RealFace earlier in February, making it even more likely that the company is experimenting with alternative biometric tools, including iris recognition. That could replace Touch ID as a phone unlocking mechanism.
The front-facing camera’s new features would have big implications for games. Players would no longer need avatars—instead, the new camera system would generate a three-dimensional selfie.
Kuo noted that Apple is planning to put a 3D sensor in the iPhone’s rear-facing camera next year, which would negate the need for a dual-lens system.
Plausible? This is the first time we’ve heard about Apple incorporating new laser technology and facial recognition, but it wouldn’t come out of nowhere. Apple acquired Primesense and their infrared sensor technology in 2013, and the company just recently integrated facial recognition software in Photos for iOS 10 and macOS Sierra. So it makes sense that the next evolution of this feature is for Apple to develop a camera with sensors that can perform facial recognition in real-time to create augmented reality experiences, similar to Snapchat’s selfie filters.
Stainless steel chassis?
The rumor: Apple is returning to a stainless steel chassis for the next iPhone with two glass panes on the front and the back, according to DigiTimes. In addition, Apple is moving to a new forging process for the metal bezel and frame that is expected to reduce manufacturing cost and time. The forging process will reportedly be 30 to 50 percent cheaper than the current unibody machine-precision process. The stainless steel frame will be provided by Foxconn and Jabil, the manufacturers who supplied the same part on the iPhone 4.
Plausible: Yes. This rumor corroborates an earlier report predicting the return of the glass iPhone. Not only that, but we’re also under the impression that Apple is looking to launch several models of the iPhone 8 with different prices and using different materials. And it makes sense that the higher-end iPhone 8 would rely on stainless steel to hold the front-and-back glass panels together, while a cheaper version uses aluminum—that’s the same pattern we see with the Apple Watch.
Folds like a book?
The rumor: You may be able to bend the next iPhone, similar to how you fold to close a book. Apple has just been granted a patent for a book-like iPhone design that used an OLED display that can fold in half.
Plausible? Just because Apple has the patent for this, doesn’t necessarily mean that it will become a real product. Besides, Apple is already running into issues with OLED display supply, so there may not be enough time or resources to incorporate a bendable, foldable display on the iPhone 8.
3 new models?
The rumor: Apple will launch three models of the iPhone 8 in 2017, according to a new report from KGI Securities analysts. One model will sport a 5.5-inch OLED screen and a dual camera. One will have a 5.5-inch LCD screen, also with a dual camera. The third will be a 4.7-inch iPhone with an LCD screen and a single camera system, much like the current iPhone 7 model.
Plausible? KGI Securities is usually spot-on when it comes to iPhone hardware predictions, and for a while these supply chain analysts have been predicting that Apple will switch to OLED displays in 2017. Apple has already been using OLED displays on the Apple Watch and the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar, so using this type of display on the iPhone seems like a logical next step. Previously, Bloomberg reported that Apple is in talks with Sharp to be its OLED display supplier.
OLED offers a lot of benefits over LCD. Besides being more responsive, OLED gives Apple the option to create a bezel-less iPhone with a curved or bendable display, which would certainly boost the iPhone 8’s wow-factor. This time around, the iPhone 8 is rumored to be “revolutionary.”
Return to all-glass?
The rumor: Apple may take a page from its own book and release an iPhone 8 with a glass front and back, similar to the iPhone 4 and 4s. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus will, of course, be larger than those models, which were 3.5 inches. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who always has deep insight into Apple’s supply chain, predicted that Apple will make lower-priced models with aluminum casing and more expensive versions with stainless steel. The glass would give the phone a glossy look, like the popular jet black iPhone 7, but be less prone to knicks and scratches than the brushed aluminum.
Plausible? Yes. It’s all about the sourcing: KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo is typically spot-on when it comes to Apple hardware changes. It’s possible that Apple is basing future design decisions on the success of the jet black iPhone 7, which is currently sold out through December. According to the KGI report, 30–35 percent of preorders were for the jet black model worldwide, and in China that percentage was higher—45–50 percent.
An OLED display at last?
The rumor: So far, Apple has held on to LCD displays, which isn’t a bad thing—the LCD display on the iPhone 7 is just as good as the competition’s OLED screens. But Apple is reportedly in talks with Sharp to be one of its main suppliers of OLED displays to use in next year’s iPhones. According to Bloomberg, Apple wants to diversify its OLED sourcing so it has multiple options. Sharp is investing $566 million in OLED production factories which will start churning out displays by next June.
Plausible? Yep. The future is OLED, because the technology is more flexible than LCD and would allow Apple to make the iPhone bezel razor-thin and move the home button to the display itself. There are other applications made possible by switching to OLED screens, and we’re sure Apple is exploring those for a future phone.
