iPhone 8 To Feature Major Design Changes

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Being Apple, we have absolutely no confirmation on what to expect from the iPhone 8 when it’s released next year. However, it’s certain that it’s the 10th anniversary of its iconic iPhones and nearly everyone expects the much needed and anticipated overhaul of the handset when it’s released.

What to expect from the radically(?) redesigned iPhone 8

Again, to guess what Apple is up to is often a fool’s errand but that’s not going to stop me from adding to the rumor mill that continues to churn out its best guesses ahead of any Apple iPhone release. That said, through patents and “in the know” sources like analysts like Ming-Chi Kuo at KGI Securities we have some ideas.

Kuo has for years been a fairly reliable source of leaks and insider information and he has plenty to say about the iPhone 8 if that’s what it is to be called.

There are a number of people suggesting that given the significance of the 10th-anniversary of Apple’s biggest moneymaker, the company could look to get away from its sequential use of numbers in new models and go with the iPhone X or something similar.

For well over a year it’s been rumored that Apple will look to a wraparound OLED display as the biggest change and many are calling for a fingerprint scanner to be embedded in this display while Apple moves away from its physical home button and source of many users’ problems with the flagship handset. We, of course, don’t know how many models will be launched next year but a number of people believe that there could well be a 5.8-inch model as well as 5.5-inch model sporting a 1080p LCD display. This is a bit odd, given the obvious superiority of OLED displays that companies like Samsung and HTC have used with aplomb in their flagship offerings.

Somewhat ironically, it appears that Apple has partnered with its rival Samsung for the production of OLED screens, while also investing huge amounts of money in OLED technology. Money is money (it appears) and the companies which have been locked in bitter patent fights for years seemingly have no trouble working together to see their profits grow. In addition to Samsung, it’s largely believed that Apple has signed deals with Japan Display and sharp to provide it with OLED displays for the coming iPhones.

In addition to the phasing out of LCD displays, there are a number of consensus rumors that give us an idea of what we will see from Apple in 2017. It’s largely believed that Apple will move to an A11 chipset while also drastically improving its present two camera array that graces the back of the iPhone 7 Plus. Assuming Apple does go big with a 5.8-inch display, it will also allow the company to move to its biggest battery ever for the iPhone 8.

It’s equally safe to assume that now that Apple has abandoned its 3.5mm headphone jack, there is little reason to believe that Apple will go backwards now that it has already, albeit briefly, pissed off a number of fanboys.

Next year, Apple needs to something radical or its staleness and sticking with the iPhone 6 model will surely be ripped apart by consumers and critics alike. Apple has been building off that design for nearly four years now and it needs something fresh to rekindle interest in the iconic flagship product.

Will the iPhone 8 take a page from the Galaxy Note and include the Apple Pencil?

A recent patent application suggests that the Apple Pencil could find itself incorporated into one or more iPhone 8 models. In a recent interview, Tim Cook seemed to hint at this when he said, “If you can imagine the things that can be created on an iPhone or an iPad with the Apple pencil, it’s really unbelievable.”

Samsung, as you well know, had a bit of rough year given the multiple recalls of the Galaxy Note 7 and ultimate discontinuation of manufacturing and Apple could move in on this market with the addition of a smart stylus.

Once again, we have no idea what Apple is up to beyond knowing that it truly needs to up its game in order to continue printing money with its line of smartphones. Yes, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are the best phones that Apple has ever produced, but for many it was an update easily skipped in lieu of next years anniversary offerings. The Cupertino, CA giant won’t have that luxury next year when it either goes big or fails to impress.

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