Consumers and investors have high expectations for the iPhone 8 (or whatever this year’s model happens to be called), but all those fancy new features won’t come cheap. They might not even come at the same price you’re used to paying or anything close to it. Sounds like Apple might charge more than $1,000 for the new model.
Special tenth anniversary iPhone said to be coming
Citing unnamed sources, Fast Company reports that there will be a special edition of the iPhone to celebrate the device’s tenth anniversary, and that phone will probably be priced in excess of $1,000. The website notes that the 256GB iPhone 7 Plus is priced at $969 and suggests that it wouldn’t be that surprising if the iPhone 8 (or whatever it’s called) gets a sizable price tag greater than that.
The website’s source described the special edition phone as “the ultimate iPhone,” and it will reportedly come with a great deal more features than the iPhone 7 Plus. The source corroborated the well-circulated claim that the iPhone 8 will sport an OLED display that not only looks fabulous but covers the entire front of the phone.
However, that screen is also said to be quite expensive, as Apple is expected to pay about twice as much for one as it does for the LCDs it uses in the current iPhone models. The display for the special edition model is expected to be 5.8 inches in size.
iPhone 8 or iPhone X?
The special edition iPhone 8 is also expected to feature an upgrade in memory, and Fast Company’s source noted that memory is starting to get quite expensive because the U.S. dollar has been strengthening again versus other currencies.
Although Apple is expected to call the phone the iPhone 8, some continue to argue that it will be called the iPhone X. That would certainly be an apt name, given that this is the phone’s tenth anniversary and that’s the Roman numeral for 10. Fast Company reports that the phone will look “something like a smooth black monolith, with few visual interruptions to its sleek design.”
The iPhone 8 is rumored to be made from forged stainless steel, which is less expensive than the aluminum Apple uses in current models. However, the source also states that the back will be made of glass, which again matches other reports claiming that Apple will use glass, possibly to make wireless charging easier.
Other rumors about the iPhone 8
The website’s source also said that Apple is trying to remove the physical Home button and instead place it under the display, making it a touch button rather than a press button. However, the technology apparently isn’t ready yet, so there’s a question about whether it will be ready for the iPhone 8, although the company is said to be working hard to prepare it. The source also claims that the side buttons might disappear too and be replaced by touch-sensitive inlays.
According to Fast Company, the iPhone 8 may also include 3D sensing technology developed by Lumentum, although the way it will be used isn’t clear. It could be used for face scanning, by the camera, or in an augmented reality capacity. The phone is also expected to have a bigger battery than the iPhone 7.
Two other iPhone models expected too
The website’s source also corroborated the rumor that Apple will release three new models this year, something else we’ve been hearing for a while. According to Fast Company, there will be a 4.7-inch iPhone 7S and a 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus. However, those phones probably won’t have OLED displays, with Apple expected to stick with the LCDs it has used in previous models. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Quo reported this in November.
It sounds like other smartphone makers might have a difficult time procuring OELD displays for their phones this year, as Fast Company reports that “several sources” say that Apple has been taking most of the available capacity for OLED screens. Currently just Samsung and a few small Asian companies manufacture them, and only Samsung’s displays are up to Apple’s quality standards.
