At WWDC, Apple unveiled the iOS 11 software that would be at the core of the 10th anniversary iPhone 8. The iOS 11 reveals what the iPhone 8 would be capable of on the software front. The phone’s hardware will be equally exciting with new features and a design overhaul. Now graphic designer and leaker Benjamin Geskin has learned from his sources that the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7 Plus have entered mass production.
New iPhone 8 drawings confirm design changes
If Geskin turns out to be accurate, it would mean that Apple has finalized the iPhone 8 design, and the phone is on track to launch in September without any delay. Previous reports have claimed that the 10th anniversary iPhone launch could be pushed back to October/November due to technical problems with the implementation of new technologies. Geskin is well known as a concept designer, but he is yet to prove himself as a reliable tech leaker.
#iPhone8 & #iPhone7SPlus
Latest drawings. Mass Production Started.Three new iPhones this year. pic.twitter.com/sm3b5agkms
— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) June 7, 2017
Benjamin Geskin also posted drawings of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7S Plus, both of which will have a dual camera system on the back. The iPhone 8 drawing is in line with past rumors. It is identical to the iPhone 8 renders (below) he had created in collaboration with iDropNews last month based on dimensions obtained from factory workers. A Foxconn insider recently confirmed in a Reddit thread that Geskin’s render was an accurate depiction of the actual phone.
The iPhone 8 has a bezel-less 5.8-inch OLED display. The phone measures 143.59 x 70.94 x 7.57mm, making it only slightly taller, wider, and thicker than the 4.7-inch iPhone 7. It sports a vertically arranged dual camera system on the rear panel. The device lacks a physical home button. So, the fingerprint scanner is likely to be integrated into the display.
What happens to the home button on iPhone 7S Plus?
The iPhone 7S Plus drawings show a horizontal dual camera rather than a vertical one. Surprisingly, it has no physical home button on the front. The iPhone 7S and 7S Plus were rumored to be minor upgrades with little changes in design. Apple was expected to ditch the home button, but only for the iPhone 8. The rumor mill previously claimed that iterative upgrades would retain the home button.
Besides the OLED display and vertical dual camera, the iPhone 8 is expected to have a few exclusive features including 3D facial recognition and augmented reality to differentiate it from the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus. Some in the rumor mill claim that wireless charging will also be an iPhone 8-exclusive, though others claim the feature would also come to the other two devices.
iPhone 8 OLED panel production to start this month
Korean site The Investor reports citing unnamed sources that Samsung will start mass production of OLED panels for the iPhone 8 “later this month.” It contradicts Geskin’s claim that the device has already entered mass production. It’s possible that some components intended for the 10th anniversary iPhone are in production, while the OLED display production would start later this month.
Sources told the Korean publication that Apple recently approved the prototype panels, and Samsung has started placing orders for parts and materials. The Korean electronics behemoth will be supplying 10 million OLED panels to Apple every month. This is in line with a previous report that Apple would be sourcing at least 70 million OLED panels from Samsung this year alone.
The Investor says the iPhone 8 release is “imminent,” which implies that it is on track to hit the store shelves in September. Other component suppliers are also ramping up production, said the publication. The iPhone 8 display will not be curved on the sides like Samsung’s Galaxy S8. So, it should be a little more durable than Samsung’s flagship phone, which has been rated the “most fragile smartphone ever” by SquareTrade.
iPhone 8: What new features should you expect?
Apple unveiled a new ARKit at the WWDC event, which developers can use to build augmented reality experience for their apps on iOS 11. The Cupertino company claims the ARKit will become the world’s largest AR platform upon rollout, thanks to its massive user base. The iPhone 8 will have the hardware components and sensors to offer users the best possible AR experience.
