Rumors about Apple's upcoming iPhone 8 — codenamed Ferrari — are swirling online as consumers gear up for the next-gen handset to launch in September. Analysts are predicting that the arrival of the iPhone 8 could turn around Apple's fortunes drastically.
Experts believe that the iPhone 8 will propel the company's revenue and help Apple smartphones notch up record sales of 86 million units in Q4 2017.
iPhone 8 Forecasts
In a note to investors, Jeffrey Kvaal and Gregory McNiff, analysts with Nomura Securities, shared that the next-gen iPhone from Apple i.e. the iPhone 8 would be instrumental in helping Apple rake in bigger profits.
The analysts believe that in Q4 2017, a "supercycle" will be created which will act as a catalyst for making the iPhone 8 a bigger and more successful product than the iPhone 6. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus received incredible response from consumers as they were the first Apple smartphones to sport the bigger 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens.
The analysts also forecast that the increase in the number of iOS subscriber base — the number of users deploying iDevices — will further fuel the sales of the iPhone 8.
"Consensus calls for 80 million iPhones in F1Q18 (Dec '17) ... only modestly above the iPhone 6 supercycle (75 million). However, we estimate the iPhone 8 will launch into an iOS subscriber base 45-50% larger than the iPhone 6 did and model 86 million iPhones in F1Q18 (from 83 million)," noted the analysts.
The increase in the iOS subscriber base since 2014 can largely be attributed to the iPhone 6 according to the experts who assert that the smartphone was responsible for driving up the user base by 35 percent. The ensuing devices contributed to a 5 percent to 10 percent increase in the iOS user base.
With features like an edgeless display, glass body, elegant design and no physical home button, the iPhone 8 could be a major upgrade in terms of functionality and design. Analysts at Nomura expect that an iPhone 6 buyer is a potential buyer for the iPhone 8, which will likely be released in fall 2017.
iPhone 8 Rumors
According to reports, the iPhone 8 will feature a new design and novel features. The handset could have a curved screen like that of rival Samsung's Galaxy S7 edge. The successor of the iPhone 7 is also expected to offer wireless battery charging support.
Rumors are rife that Apple is possibly revamping its current iPhone design. Amid speculations about the device's hardware being prepared in Israel, rumors suggest that for the first time in the history of Apple, the camera and Touch ID will be incorporated in the device's display.
According to a previous Tech Times report, Apple could launch three models of the next-gen iPhone: two 4.7-inch models with TFT-LCD screens and a 5.5-inch iPhone with an OLED screen. The bigger model may also feature a dual-camera setup and Apple could release this variant of the handset with a curved OLED screen.
The launch of three iPhones in 2017 will undoubtedly aid Apple in grabbing a substantial chunk of the smartphone market.
While Apple is staying mum on its future plans, consumers and tech gurus alike are looking forward to the surprises the company has in store as it will celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the iPhone this year.
