To mark 10 years of metal and glass slabs, Apple is expected to debut an ultra-high-end version of the iPhone alongside its next scheduled update. Tim Cook and company will likely roll out three new phones this year: the incremental iPhone 7S in the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes, as well as a slightly larger 5.8-inch iPhone 8 with an edgeless OLED display and various new features.

The iPhone smartphones are designed and marketed by Apple Inc. They run Apple’s iOS mobile operating system. In 2007, Apple released its first iPhone and then continued with multiple models in last 10 years. The most recent iPhone model is the iPhone 7, which was released on September 7, 2016, and all tech enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting iPhone 8 (or whatever is name Apple decides) now.

Most of the information in this article is from various reports available from agencies and the way it happens with every new device, some of the specs mentioned here may not be available in reality as they may be market expectations or rumours also. A few of the things come out from Apple’s designers and engineers, but some are freelance tips.

Apple’s likely partnership with Lumentum is in discussions on multiple portals. According to a source, Apple plans to incorporate Lumentum’s 3D-sensing technology into the flagship phone in some way. These features are just rumours at this point.

Specs list for iPhone 8:

  • Apple’s next-generation processor
  • Ceramic or glass body
  • Extended or edge-to-edge display
  • Virtual home Button / No Home Button
  • Enhanced water resistance
  • Support for the Apple Pencil
  • Iris scanner as alternative to Touch ID
  • A heftier price tag, which could exceed $1,000
  • There may be three phones, including one codenamed ”
  • Apple may move the SIM tray to the bottom edge
  • Wireless charging is very likely to feature
  • Likely to use a glass back instead of metal to facilitate wireless charging
  • Quick charging, when using a cable and charger
  • New speaker design, which can help to make the phone sleeker
  • It will have an OLED screen
  • A likely Laser sensor for gesture recognition

New Phone Release Date:

Assuming the annual announcement tradition continues, the iPhone 8 release date will be in September 2017. As this year is Apple’s 10th anniversary of the original iPhone launch, they may change the tradition and announce difference dates.

Let us see the key features for iPhone 8 in details:

Curved OLED display

There are yet more rumours on the possibility of a 5.8in iPhone with a ‘wraparound’ OLED screen with embedded sensors. It may be that the iPhone X and feature a laser sensor for things like gesture recognition. iPhone 8 is likely to have a resolution higher than Quad HD which is 2560×1440, a big jump from the iPhone 7!

In an Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED), the emissive electroluminescent layer is a film that emits light in response to the current. This layer of organic semiconductor is situated between two electrodes. OLEDs are used to create digital displays.

No Home Button:

A new patent award to Apple is a further indication, some might say proof, that the iPhone 8 will get away from the home button for a system which placed the fingerprint sensing technology underneath the screen. Named a ‘capacitive fingerprint sensor including an electrostatic lens,’ it means Apple is looking into a fingerprint sensor which can work through various display layers.

Cameras as a Portal to Augmented Reality:

Tim Cook is talking about dual-lens cameras these days. It’s possible that the next iPhone could come equipped with a dual-lens camera. Such smartphone can recognise people or objects when you point the camera in their direction. Some sources say that we may not see the dual-lens camera in the current models, but it may be available in the subsequent model.

Wireless Charging?

Apple’s wireless AirPods may have been just the beginning. Next year’s iPhone could do away with the iPhone’s traditional connector the Lightning cable and charge up wirelessly instead. They are talking about one of the Apple partners already making the wireless charging modules for the 2017 iPhone.

No more Aluminium Body?

Apple may shift away from the aluminium body used for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S. Manufacturers Foxconn and Jabil are allegedly building the next phone’s body with two a front, and a back reinforced glass panel. They will be held together by a stainless steel bezel and frame. A reporting agency claim that this new construction could reduce Apple’s costs considerably and provide better quality control.

Iris Scanner:

One of the stand-out features of Samsung’s latest smartphone is eye-scanning technology, allowing users to unlock their phone by simply looking at it. According to a report, a company named as Xintec is to start mass producing iris-recognition chips, some of which will get embedded in the next series of iPhone.

 Waterproof Models:

Apple’s iPhone 7 is water-resistant to a depth of one metre for up to 30 minutes a rating known as IP67 which is similar to the Apple Watch. It makes sense that Apple would carry this through to the iPhone 8. The IP67 is to survive the phone in a dip, and it won’t break if you pour a drink over it.

The iPhone 8 price:

Whether Apple will introduce a price increase for the potentially special iPhone 8 is a guess. As there will be three new iPhones, the ‘Anniversary’ model could be a high price device that could cost more than any iPhone yet. We will just have to wait and see, but predictions are that the anniversary model may cost over $ 1000.

Summary:

Though the new features mainly focus on the hardware side for a mobile device, with every new device, the freelance designers and App developers have to understand these features. They have to get ready to make use of these features in their new Apps. Look for great screen, glass body, dual lens camera, Iris Scanner and wireless charging for a waterproof phone. Think about how you can use these new features in your Apps.

Kitty Gupta
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