Apple is apparently working on the successor of the iPhone 7 — dubbed the iPhone 8 or iPhone X. The 10th anniversary edition of the iPhone is causing quite a stir as iFans eagerly await its arrival.
The iPhone 8 appears to be the blue-eyed boy of the rumor mill. The constant spate of leaked schematics and features have clued in iFans on the device's expected features. Here's a round-up of the rumored specs, feature, price, and release of the iPhone 8.
iPhone 8: Rumored Specs And Features
The iPhone 8 is expected to tout a 5.8-inch edge-to-edge OLED screen. The redesigned smartphone may boast a 2.5D curved glass back and would likely support Qi-based wireless charging.
It is rumored that Apple may beef up the innards of the iPhone 8 and the handset may deploy the 10nm A11 SoC, which is allegedly faster than its predecessor. Apple may also launch the iPhone X with 3 GB of RAM. Rumors are also rife that the company could introduce a 256 GB onboard storage model for the iPhone 8.
Leaks of the iPhone 8's mold have pointed to the device sporting a dual-rear camera setup. The cameras will be vertically aligned.
The smartphone is also anticipated to support iris and fingerprint scanners. However, the placement of the Touch ID sensor for the iPhone 8 is much debated. Some rumors and leaked schematics point to the Touch ID sensor being placed on the rear of the device, whereas others hint at the possibility of it being embedded underneath the display.
Multiple iPhones In The Cards?
Speculations that Apple also has the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus in the works have been rife. It is also speculated that the company is allegedly working on two variants of the iPhone 8. However, only one of the two versions will be released. Apparently, Apple has "Plan A" and "Plan B" designs in the cards. If the first one falls through, then the company will resort to the backup "Plan B."
How Much Will The iPhone 8 Cost?
The iPhone 8 is expected to set consumers back by four figures. The 10th anniversary edition handset will apparently cost upward of $1,000. The increase in price is attributed to the premium features the iPhone X is expected to boast. Market analysts suggest that the OLED screen of the handset alone adds $35 to the production cost. The quicker NAND/DRAM has supposedly increased Apple's production costs for the iPhone 8 between $16 to $29. According to a Forbes report, the 3D Touch component increases the production cost by $18 to $22.
Moreover, rumors are rife that Apple may bundle the wireless AirPods with the impending smartphone. The price of the iPhone 8 is expected to be high because of the inclusion of the free AirPods, which currently retail for $159.
When Will It Release?
The iPhone 8 is anticipated to debut in September and release a few weeks later based on Apple's annual cycle. However, in April, reports suggested that the iPhone 8's release could face a two-month delay because of technical issues with the 3D sensing and laminating of OLED screens. It is speculated that Apple may not release the iPhone 8 alongside the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, but postpone its release to October or November.
A new report contradicted this claim and asserted that the iPhone 8 will indeed release alongside the iPhone 7s Plus and iPhone 7s as the production was on schedule. Based on the latest assertions, the iPhone 8 will be announced in September and hit the shelves in October.
The latest speculation — courtesy JPMorgan — is that Apple may announce the iPhone 8 at the WWDC event in June and surprise fans.
