As the iPhone 8's alleged reveal date — this fall, reports say — inches closer, more and more leaks break into the surface. This time, a new set of images may have just revealed the design of Apple's forthcoming flagship.
On Reddit, user kamikasky shared what they claim to be images of the iPhone 8's and iPhone 7's front and back panels, culled from what they say is "a friend in the industry," and what manufacturers have been receiving over the last week.
Surprisingly, the images line up with previous rumors, giving them a hint of legitimacy. But it goes without saying that one should take rumors with a grain of salt, no matter how genuine they might seem.
From the images, one can see that Apple has chosen to go with glass back panels for the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 8, an important feature which will enable wireless charging functionality — something Apple has never done in the past for its iPhones.
iPhone 8 Panels
The iPhone 8 appears to be outfitted with an all-glass panel, save for a small strip atop the device for the front-facing camera and earpiece. Rumors have suggested that the iPhone 8 will feature a nearly bezel-less screen, like that of the Samsung Galaxy S8, and the images appear to support that rumor.
The rear glass panel, on the other hand, features a vertical dual-camera cutout, with what appears as the camera module laid out beside the panel.
Where's The Touch ID Sensor?
Again, as many reports have noted in the past, both the front and back panels of the iPhone 8 appear to have no Touch ID sensor whatsoever. If the images indeed prove to be the real deal, then Apple might just have achieved a true innovation: embedding an entire fingerprint sensor technology underneath the display, something even Samsung tried and failed to do for the Galaxy S8. This appears to make a strong argument if one considers how dumb it would be for Apple to abandon the Touch ID now — especially if Apple Pay won't go away anytime soon.
Previous reports suggest that smartphones with fingerprint sensors embedded underneath their displays will hit the market this year. The iPhone 8 might just debut that technology altogether.
iPhone 7s And iPhone 7s Plus Panels
Meanwhile, one can't ascertain if the iPhone 7s or 7s Plus panels feature a Touch ID sensor, since a protective material covers the bottom part of the panels. But all told, the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus's panels seem to be similar to last year's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, right down to the horizontal dual camera setup.
iPhone 8 Rumors
Rumors say Apple will launch the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, and the iPhone 8 during a keynote address this fall, much like the unveiling pattern of several of its previous iPhone upgrades in the past. Rumor has it that the much-anticipated iPhone 8 will be the most expensive iPhone to date, nearing, or perhaps even surpassing the $1,000 mark.
Expect due coverage when we learn more details. As always, if you have any thoughts or opinions about the leaked images above, feel free to sound them off in the comments section below!
