There is no mystery about the iPhone 8 design. Chinese tipsters have leaked its new design. Reliable leakers with a proven track record such as Evan Blass have confirmed it. Heck, Apple itself has leaked the iPhone 8 design via HomePod firmware. Newly leaked images coming out of China show the iPhone 8 components that are building blocks of the 10th anniversary iPhone.
iPhone 8 components spotted in the wild
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 8 unveiling date by the end of this month. The tech giant usually holds its iPhone events in the first half of September, mostly on a Tuesday or a Wednesday. We can expect the iPhone 8 to be unveiled on September 5th or 6th. The other possible unveiling dates are September 12th and 13th. The new iPhones traditionally go on sale 8-10 days after the announcement.
With the launch date approaching and the new iPhones having entered production, the iPhone 8 components have started appearing on Chinese social platforms. Folks at SlashLeaks have spotted pictures of the iPhone 8 components including the display assembly, parts for the Lightning connector, and flex cables. Foxconn factories have started pumping out the iPhone 8 ahead of its unveiling.
The OLED display assembly confirms that the 10th anniversary iPhone will sport an edge-to-edge display. There will be a notch at the top to accommodate the infrared scanner, ear speaker, and the front camera. The iPhone 8 is said to feature a 5.8-inch display in a form factor only marginally bigger than the 4.7-inch iPhone 7. In terms of dimensions, the iPhone 8 will be smaller than the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus despite featuring a larger display.
iPhone 8 to be jam-packed with new features
Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones at the next month’s event. The other two handsets will be iterative upgrades to the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. They will look similar to the existing models, though they are said to have a glass back for wireless charging. The iPhone 7S and 7S Plus will have beefier hardware specs than their predecessors, including the A11 chipset.
The 10th anniversary iPhone 8 will be the most expensive variant with a radical redesign. The device will have 3D infrared sensors for facial recognition. The anniversary iPhone will be tracking your face at all times to offer a better user experience, besides enhancing security. It will not only allow you to unlock the phone and authenticate payments. It will automatically mute notifications when you are looking at the phone.
It’s still not known whether the facial recognition technology, code-named Pearl ID, will accompany the Touch ID fingerprint sensor or fully replace it. While the iPhone 7S Plus will have a horizontally oriented dual camera, the iPhone 8 dual camera will be arranged vertically. The iPhone 8 is also said to feature a SmartCam that will detect what you are taking pictures of and will change the settings automatically to take the best shot.
Though augmented reality (AR) has been around for quite some time, the iPhone 8 will present the technology in a way that will trigger a major change in how consumers interact with smartphones. AR represents endless possibilities, and Apple has already given developers the ARKit toolset to let them build AR experiences into their iOS apps.
Only three color options
According to Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the 10th anniversary iPhone will launch only in three colors – white, black, and a new copper gold – to maintain its boutique image. The copper gold color is likely to be called Blush Gold, indicate the recent leaks. The rumor mill claims it will be available in 64GB and 256GB storage options. It means there will be no 32GB or 128GB. But the Blush Gold model is rumored to launch in 64GB and 128GB options. Do not expect a microSD card slot.
The 10th-anniversary model will be Apple’s most expensive smartphone till date. Reports from Fast Company, Ming-Chi Kuo, and others suggest that it would cost way above $1,000, at least for the higher storage options. The current 256GB iPhone 7 Plus costs users $969. Apple is banking on the new design, OLED display, and other features to justify the new phone’s price tag.
A design refresh was badly needed
Apple has used the same iPhone design for the last three years. Consumers are desperately looking for a new design, especially in China where Apple has been losing market share to local vendors. Apple phones are a status symbol, and buyers want their phone to look different from what everyone else has, pointed out GlobalData analyst Avi Greengart. The iPhone 8 needs to look different from OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Huawei devices.
Supply chain leaks suggest the iPhone 8 would be announced alongside the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, but would launch only in October or November due to production issues. However, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has told investors that the 10th anniversary model would launch in September itself, albeit in limited quantities. It means the iPhone 8 will face supply shortages during the first few weeks.
