Ever since the iPhone 5 launched in September 2012, Apple‘s handsets have arrived in that month. However, thanks to a hint/leak by one of its suppliers, we’re hearing that the iPhone 8 launch date may not be until October.
iPhone 8 launch date
Now if you’re thinking, “not another unsubstantiated rumor,” we can assure you that this is different. Yes, there has been the rumor about the delay caused by OLED panel procurement stories. However, this one is different because it comes via an earnings call by a company that will help Apple make the iPhone 8 an augmented reality masterpiece.
Apparently, the Cupertino-based giant wants to enter and take the AR market to the next level, and it’s going to do that by adding lasers to the handset. The company that hint/leak about the iPhone 8 launch date comes from is a supplier. Finisar will be a major supplier of the lasers which will be placed near the handset’s front-facing camera. The addition of this technology will enable the iPhone 8 to depth-map objects and could enhance security and help with image recognition.
Finisar isn’t the only supplier of this laser tech known as VCSEL, but it is one of the prominent ones. As such, during its earnings call, it said that it expects one company to order millions of units. Here’s where there’s some vagueness: Finisar did not mention Apple directly. However, the only company that Finisar has reportedly been doing business with at this scale is Apple.
So due to the sheer number of VCSEL units required by Apple and Finisar’s production schedule, we now have a pretty solid indication of the iPhone 8 launch date. That is according to Loup Ventures, which was the first to spot the correlation. According to it, we should now expect an announcement in September, with the iPhone 8 launch date in October. Fortunately, for those who had been suggesting other reasons for an iPhone 8 delay, this hint/leak does line up nicely.
Major redesign
With the rumor mill in overdrive, it seems as though almost everything is known about Apple’s next handset. However, one of the biggest “wants” by consumers has been a complete design change. We can tell you it’s almost certain that big changes are coming because MobileFun, the mobile accessories retailer, has listed a product which confirms the handset’s design.
If you’re not familiar with the retailer, suffice it to say that it confirmed the Galaxy S8 design three months before launch. Additionally, it revealed that the iPhone 7 would lose the headphone jack three months early. So as you can see, it has some pedigree when it comes to revealing handset details.
In fact, MobileFun has gone one step further than just revealing information. It has a full cover tempered glass screen protector for the iPhone 8 on sale now, and it is because of this that we can tell that the iPhone 8 has had major design changes. It reveals that the handset has a huge 5.8-inch elongated display with a top bezel cut out for a camera and sensors. This information is entirely in line with the information we’ve seen leaked over the past few months, which unfortunately means that Apple has been unable to keep its secrets this time.
Improved display
Along with the design of the iPhone, Apple fans have been calling for it to ditch the IPS LCD it has stuck with for years. Now, thanks to data acquired by MacRumors, we can tell you that a handset with a new display is undergoing tests. If true, that means when the iPhone 8 launch date is finally reached, you could get your hands on a true marvel. Imagine: an iPhone with a display resolution that has been greatly improved from its predecessors’ displays.
Analysts such as Ming-Chi Kuo have repeatedly indicated that a Quad HD display is likely. Additionally, and in line with the screen protector leak above, a 5.8-inch display is likely to happen, as is a resolution of 1,242 x 2,800. If it does, this will surely be what Apple fans have wanted, and it will be welcomed with open arms by those who have been tiring of Apple’s resistance to change.
Wireless charging guaranteed
Ever since we started reporting on the iPhone 8, one of the biggest talking points has been wireless charging, and over the course of the past year, we’ve heard and reported many rumors. Many suggest how the next iPhone will surpass its Android rivals in charging tech. However, the problem is that there’s been a sheer lack of insider information leaking about it. So when an Apple partner like Wistron openly talks, you listen.
According to its CEO Robert Hwang, when the iPhone 8 launch date arrives, we will finally get an iPhone with wireless charging. The problem is that again, he fails to go into any detail. For example, will it use the conductive variant or will it be the fabled base station version with up to a 15-foot range, as some rumors have suggested? It’s good to hear that it’s going to happen, but which technology is it?
Some rumors are suggesting that Apple is working with Broadcom for wireless charging on all its 2017 iPhones, while others point to a partnership with Energous, a company whose charging tech can work up to 15 feet away.
