IPhone 8
As we inch closer to the next iPhone, new rumors are upending some previously held expectations about Apple's plans. Until recently, the thought was that Apple was readying some seriously impressive new hardware and software for a single 10th anniversary release, the iPhone 8.
Now, we're hearing murmurs that Apple might actually fork its new phones into two tiers. As a (relatively) less expensive option, the company may unveil a midcycle "S" update, adding a few new bells and whistles to what would essentially be a rehash of the current generation iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. That would leave a premium, higher-end iPhone 8 to deliver on all of the expectations that have been building for years.
And some rumors suggest that the iPhone 8 could hearken to the Apple of 10 years ago -- a remarkable breakthrough that will once again redefine what a phone can do. Can Apple possibly deliver on such lofty expectations? We expect the phone -- or phones -- to debut in early September, if Apple sticks to its usual schedule. Until then, we track the iPhone 8 rumor frenzy below.
eteran Apple analyst Mingo has suggested that all new iPhone models will feature wireless charging, according to Macrumors. But other reports have predicted that that wireless charging will not be an integrated capability, but instead available through a separate accessory.
It's worth mentioning that Samsung's top-tier phones have supported wireless charging since 2015's Galaxy S6, and some Lumia phones (both under Nokia and Microsoft) had it back in the day, too.
Glass vs. steel vs. aluminum
Apple might shift away from the aluminum body used for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S, according to a rumor reported by DigiTimes. Allegedly, Apple is producing a new 5.8-inch iPhone that will use an all-new glass and steel body design; earlier rumors had suggested that manufacturers Foxconn and Jabil would build a chassis using two reinforced glass panes held together by a stainless-steel bezel and frame.
The DigiTimes report also points to a 4.7-inch 7S model that will feature an aluminum alloy body. The composition of the expected 5.5-inch iPhone 7S Plus has yet to be confirmed. Older rumors about a possible ceramic body seem to have faded away (for now).
Unlock the iPhone with your eye (or your face)
German site Handy Abovergleich and DigiTimes have floated the theory that the iPhone 8 could have an embedded iris scanner that would let you unlock the phone by looking at it -- a nifty iteration of the current Touch ID feature. A parallel rumor has it that the next iPhone will support facial recognition technology as an alternative (or perhaps supplement) to the current fingerprint scanner authentication system.
Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 was among the first phones to come equipped with an iris scanner -- and it's worth stating that that particular feature had nothing to do with that phone's explosive reputation and subsequent retirement.
An iPhone Pro for creatives
Handy Abovergleich has also illustrated the concept of multiple iPhone 8 models -- a standard edition, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 8 Pro. Even more interesting is the site's theory that Apple could follow the path forged by the iPad, with an iPhone Pro that would support the Apple's Pencil stylus, that gives artists and handwriting enthusiasts a more manual way to create, take notes, and manipulate photos and images.
Can Apple take it to the edge?
The rumors about an edge-to-edge, OLED display now have more weight after Apple reportedly purchased 60 million OLED display panels in a multibillion dollar deal from Samsung Display, according to The Korea Herald. Back in November 2016, The Wall Street Journal reported that the next iPhone could include a curved and/or OLED screen, a possibility repeatedly echoed by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Of course, none of this is so boundary-pushing. Samsung has been stretching its displays for some time -- there is a rumor that the front of the forthcoming Galaxy S8 could be 90 percent screen -- and the Xiaomi Mi Mix's 6.4-inch screen nearly covers its entire face.
You might not be able to go 'home' again
One way to extend the display would be to ditch the home button. In 2015, Apple filed a patent for a transparent fingerprint sensor. And with the iPhone 7's solid-state button, pressure-sensitive screen, and the increasingly capable Siri, do we even need a physical home button anymore?
With all that extra real estate, Apple could slim down the top and bottom bezels and squeeze a larger screen into the same size body. Of course, Apple doesn't commercialize even a fraction of the patents it files -- so this one is far from a slam dunk.
A more toilet-proof iPhone
Of course, if Apple ditches the Lightning port, it would ostensibly make the phone that much more resistant to water and other intrusive substances. In fact, The Korea Herald reports that the next iPhone will have a higher water resistance rating -- IP68 compared with the current generation's IP67, for those keeping score. Again, in this category, Apple would be playing catch up: Samsung's Galaxy S7, from 2016, is IP68 certified.
Red iPhone could be in the works
New colors would be an easy way for Apple to mark the significance of the 10th anniversary iPhone. In December 2016, a video surfaced purporting to show a "Jet White" iPhone 7. Macotakara reports that Apple may add to its recent palette of white, black, and mellow metallics and introduce red to the lineup -- a callback of sorts to the less expensive iPhone 5C's rainbow of options.
Cameras as a portal to augmented reality
Apple CEO Tim Cook is talking a lot about dual-lens cameras these days. Probably because they can help a device place virtual things in your real-world view. (Other phones in the Google-sphere are already doing this -- albeit badly.)
It's possible that the next iPhone could come equipped with a dual-lens camera that could scan the world and overlay 3D objects onto it with great accuracy. For example, such an iPhone could recognize people or objects when you point the camera in their direction. (Apple already does something a little like this with iOS 10's facial-recognition software.)
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