According to rumors, Apple is expected to unveil three new iPhone models: two will be minor upgrades over last year's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and one will be the much-anticipated iPhone 8.
A series of photos purporting to show molds for all three iPhone variants have now leaked. While the molds themselves don't reveal anything crucial, it's possible that this is the first time all three models are displayed beside one another, providing a rough visual estimate on how their physical sizes compare.
iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, And iPhone 7s Plus Molds
It's worth noting, however, that the molds are probably meant for iPhone cases or dummy models instead of actual phones. Yet case leaks have had a pretty stellar track record for confirming metrics in the past, so these leaks might be worth looking at.
The molds themselves "confirm" previous rumors that the iPhone 8 is much closer to the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 in size. But despite that, the iPhone 8 is expected to sport a 5.8-inch display by virtue of slimming the bezels down a la Samsung Galaxy S8.
Notably, the iPhone 8 mold shows a dual camera bump, positioned vertically as opposed to the iPhone 7 Plus's vertical dual camera design. No surprise there — rumors have talked about a dual camera setup for a long time, and it's seemingly a shoo-in by now. Exactly why they're stacked vertically this time has yet to be determined.
iPhone 8 Rumors
Beyond the nearly bezel-less display, rumors suggest the iPhone 8 could feature 3D-sensing cameras on the front and an all-glass body that sandwiches a stainless steel frame in the middle. The move to an all-glass design is more than an aesthetic choice, however, since the iPhone 8 is rumored to support wireless charging — a first for the iPhone line. The resulting design will be like a phone that's akin to a continuous sheet of glass, according to rumors.
Because of the iPhone 8's large display and thin bezels, there'd be no room for the Touch ID fingerprint technology on the front. Rumors either suggest that Apple could remove the feature together, relocate it to the back, or develop a new technology that can hide the sensor beneath the display. There's no telling what Apple's final design is, but totally removing a marquee feature is highly unlikely.
iPhone 8 Unveiling
Apple is expected to unveil all three iPhone models during its September event, based on its iPhone unveiling pattern in the last few years. All three variants are rumored to feature wireless charging, but some suggest the iPhone 8 could go on sale later than its two siblings and, by extension, sport a much higher price tag.
On June, Apple is expected to unveil iOS 11, and by then there might be more clues as to what features the next-gen iPhone will have. For instance, Apple is expected to announce a Dark Mode setting, presumably to take advantage of the iPhone 8's OLED screen. It's unclear if the other two will also sport the same display technology.
Thoughts about the iPhone 8? What features do you expect on Apple's forthcoming flagship? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
