As Apple continues its preparations for the iPhone 8, speculation is rife that there will be some interesting branding involved in the next smartphone generation. It is believed that Apple will release three models when the iPhone 8 hits the market, and that only one of these will bear the iPhone 8 name. Apple will instead brand the other two devices in the series as iPhone 7S, with one phablet version featuring the Plus moniker.
But how will these three models differ from one another? Here ValueWalk examines the possible specifications of the three smartphone contenders.
What Size
One of the most obvious ways that Apple will differentiate between the three next generation models is in sheer size terms. This can relate both to the size of the actual units, and also to the screens included in them.
It seems likely that the iPhone 8 will be a phablet-sized device, and possibly that it will even feature a larger display than the iPhone 7S Plus. If this is the case, we can expect the iPhone 8 to feature a 5.8-inch display, with Apple likely to retain the screen sizes of the other two devices from previous generations.
Apple is also expected to significantly slim down the bezels included in the next generation smartphones, and this should result in a reduction of a few inches in each of the two existing models. We can perhaps expect the iPhone 8 to be roughly the same size as the existing iPhone 7 Plus, thus measurements of approximately 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm can be expected.
OLED
By now, the fact that Apple intends to include OLED technology in the iPhone 8 generation is an extremely poorly kept secret. The consumer electronics giant has evidently been in talks with its great rival Samsung in order to source enough displays to deliver this in the next generation. But Samsung’s own requirements, coupled with the relative scarcity of this technology, could mean that Apple is forced to confine OLED to merely the premium iPhone 8.
Curved / Edge-to-edge display
It is increasingly expected that Apple will slim down the bezels in the iPhone 8 generation, producing a smartphone with an edge-to-edge display. Apple is also expected to finally embrace curved screen technology with the iPhone 8, with a patent intended to deliver this design aspect already spotted by Apple-following media.
However, when Samsung has produced curved displays, it has generally given users the option of purchasing flat screen devices as well. It seems likely that Apple will follow this policy with the iPhone 8 generation, which could mean that the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus are flat screen. Alternatively, Apple could offer both curved and flat screen versions of all three models.
It does seem likely, though, that the slimming down aspect of the iPhone 8 will be present in all versions released in September.
Dual-cameras
Apple has already used camera technology to distinguish between the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, and this is extremely likely to continue with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S devices. What is open to debate is whether or not there will be any difference between the camera included in the iPhone 7S Plus and the iPhone 8.
The iPhone 7S is likely to be an affordable variant, and thus may feature a relatively bargain basement camera. But it seems likely that Apple will opt to include dual-cameras in both the iPhone 8 and the phablet iPhone 7 Plus as well. If this is the case, Apple will probably rely on design parameters to separate the two smartphones.
All-glass design
Apple has been linked with an all-glass design for the iPhone 8, but it is possible that this could only apply to the premium model in the series. This prospect seems slightly unlikely, as the Cupertino-based company has always opted for uniform designs across multiple devices in previous generations.
Resolution
One area where there will certainly be deviation between the phablet variants of this generation and the smartphone-sized model is in screen resolution. Analysts have predicted that Apple will deliver a quad HD phablet this time out, So this screen resolution will probably apply to both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S Plus. Meanwhile, the iPhone 7S smartphone is likely to be full HD in 2017. Although Samsung is being linked with 4K resolution for the Galaxy Note 8, it is extremely unlikely that we will see this replicated with the Apple handsets.
RAM
The larger versions of the iPhone 8 generation are likely to feature increased RAM compared to the iPhone 7S, as has been the case with previous releases. There will probably be a 1GB gap between the three models, with Apple increasing memory in the larger versions to 4GB, with the iPhone 7S benefiting from 3GB. It is theoretically possible that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S Plus may feature differing memory quantities, but it is most likely that Apple will keep both devices at the same level.
Storage
Apple has prided itself on delivering high amounts of storage in recent releases, while also offering consumers three different choices for each iPhone release. This Policy is likely to be retained in the iPhone 8 generation, and it also seems probable that the Californian corporation will provide the same storage quantities in each of the three models. Possibly we could see the premium versions of these handsets armed with 512GB worth of native storage.
Battery
Finally, it is believed that Apple will increase the battery sizes included in the iPhone range significantly when the next generation is released. This could mean a 3,500 mAh battery being included in the larger iPhone a8 and iPhone 7S Plus releases. We can perhaps anticipate a 2,500 mAh cell being included in the smaller iPhone 7S.
