The rumor mill has claimed for months that Apple’s 2017 iPhone will be called iPhone 8 instead of iPhone 7S. Now an Apple employee in Israel has mentioned the name “iPhone 8” unprompted during a conversation with Business Insider. The publication has learned that Apple is developing hardware for the next-gen iPhone at its R&D facility in Herzliya, Israel.
iPhone 8 to have an improved camera
The anonymous Apple employee Business Insider spoke to works on soldering components. The Cupertino company is said to ditch the iPhone 7S moniker in favor of iPhone 8 because the next year’s device will have a radical new design along with many other improvements. The employee, who spoke only in “broken English”, said the 2017 iPhone would have a much better camera than the iPhone 6S and iPhone 7.
The said employee told Business Insider that the Herzliya facility works on all new Apple products. This person added that Apple doesn’t assemble its products in Israel. There are close to 800 employees at Apple’s Herzliya R&D facility. It was set up after the Cupertino company acquired Anorbit in 2012 and PrimeSense in 2013. The Herzliya facility reportedly focuses on the development of processors, communication chips, cameras, storage, and wireless technologies.
Herzliya office is Apple’s second largest R&D center
During his visit to Israel last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the Herzliya office was the company’s second largest R&D center in the world. Apple also has an office in Haifa, which employs about 200 people. The iPhone 8 is rumored to have an all-glass design that removes the needs for top and bottom bezels. It means the home button and Touch ID will be embedded into the display itself.
The iPhone 8 is also rumored to feature an improved dual-camera, a faster processor, wireless charging, and an iris scanner for enhanced security. Its launch will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, so Apple may have some big plans for 2017.
