iPhone 8 To Feature Apple Watch-Like ‘Tap To Wake’

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The highly anticipated iPhone 8 is still several months away, but rumors about the device keep flowing in. Recent reports indicate that Apple would release not two, but three iPhones in September 2017. Two of them will be iterative upgrades to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. But the third one, likely to be called iPhone 8, would have an entirely new all-glass design. Apple’s 10th-anniversary flagship iPhone will have more than just a new design, according to a new report.

All three devices to feature fast charging

Noted Apple leaker Sonny Dickson told Gordon Kelly of Forbes that all the three Apple smartphones coming this year – the iPhone 7S, 7S Plus and iPhone 8 – would feature fast charging. Dickson has a pretty good track record in sharing details on what Apple’s future products might offer. He revealed that a new “Tristar 3 Hydra” chip would support fast charging.

It is unclear whether the technology would be compatible with other standards in the market. Dickson did not provide details on wireless charging, which has been rumored for the iPhone 8. The Cupertino company has reportedly been working on long-distance wireless charging in collaboration with Energous, whose WattUp technology can charge a device from a distance of up to 15 feet.

Tap to Wake would be an iPhone 8 exclusive feature

Dickson told Forbes that the Tap to Wake functionality will be exclusive to the iPhone 8, meaning the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus would not have it. Apple Watch already has the Tap to Wake feature. It’s difficult to say whether it has something to do with the OLED display or Apple is just trying to give the iPhone 8 a more premium feel than the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus.

Apple Watch, which has the Tap to Wake feature, comes with an OLED screen. BGR points out that OLED displays conserve battery because only the pixels showing colors other than black need to be powered up. So, a feature like Tap to Wake would be more energy efficient on an OLED display rather than on an LCD panel. Dickson added that Apple was still working on the smartphone, so the final list of features may change.

iPhone 8 to enter small-scale production in March

The iPhone 8 is code-named “Ferrari,” according to leaked documents. The device is widely expected to have an all-screen front. It means the top and bottom bezels would be reduced significantly or eliminated altogether. The home button and fingerprint scanner would be incorporated in the display panel.

Supply chain sources told Digitimes that Apple is estimated to ship 60-70 million units of the high-end iPhone 8 in 2017. Samsung Display is said to be the sole supplier of OLED displays for the handset. Digitimes claims that small-scale production of the next-gen iPhone would begin in March, while large scale production would start only in May or June ahead of the September unveiling.

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