The year 2017 will mark the 10th anniversary for the Apple iPhone and according to rumors, Cupertino will mark the event with a new iPhone 8 flagship.
During the build up to the release of iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, it was claimed that the company is keeping all the goodies for the 2017 iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Despite this, the 2016 flagships have been seeing unprecedented demand ever since their release, something that could make the coming version see even more demand if Apple presses the right buttons.
So, what are some of the rumored updates you can expect to see on the new iPhone 8 when compared to the current iPhone 7? Here’s a clear breakdown.
Design and display
Apple has used the same design for three models now, with the inaugural version being the 2014 iPhone 6. However, this is going to change drastically this coming year as the company is planning a complete redesign.
The company is reportedly working on trimming the bezels of the iPhone 8 and in fact, some are adamant that Cupertino will be the first company to come in with a true bezel-less phone, meaning you get an edge-to-edge display. If this happens, we will end up with an iPhone 8 that has no physical home button and thus the Touch ID will be hidden under the screen.
With talk of wireless charging in the making, Apple will supposedly ditch the aluminum casing it has used on its models for quite some time now and instead go for an all-glass design. All of these changes will mean that Apple drops the LCD display technology in favor of OLED panels, something that Sharp President, Tai Jeng-wu, has already hinted at.
Samsung and other Android OEMs have been using OLED screens for some time now and it would only make more sense if Apple also made the switch.
Hardware specs
When iPhone 8 comes out, expect to see the next-gen processor on board, something better than what is already a very powerful A10 SoC used on the iPhone 7. Furthermore, the 2GB RAM used on the 2016 flagship should be upped to 3GB when the 2017 version comes to life.
Apple made steps in the storage department of the iPhone 7 and given that this is just the first try, we expect to see the same storage options availed for the 2017 iPhone 8.
Advanced battery charging
As mentioned earlier, the change from aluminum to glass could mainly be aiming at adding advanced battery charging features to the 2017 iPhone 8. Most flagship devices in the Android realm already support fast wired and wireless charging, but the iPhone 7 doesn’t, thanks to its all-metal unibody.
In addition to adding wireless charging capabilities, Apple is said to be working on ultra-fast charging technology to help reduce the 3.5 hours needed to fully charge the iPhone 7 Plus from 0-100%. When compared to the likes of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge or even Google Pixel XL, this is way too long.
Photography
Apple stepped up its game in the photography aspects of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. This is the same thing that is expected when the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are released next year. Apparently, reports are rife that the smaller version will also be getting the dual-lens setup that is currently exclusive to iPhone 7 Plus.
There are also reports that Apple may consider going the DSLR way, but this is just a rumor. Nonetheless, the iPhone 8 will come with a better camera than what the current iPhone 7 is offering, if at all past trends are to be observed.
USB C connectivity
Many Android flagships released in the second half of 2016 have been coming in with support for USB-C connectivity. However, Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus did not come with this connector, instead, the company went for the proven USB 2.0. This will be no more when it comes to the iPhone 8 as the company will be looking to match the standards offered by its competitors.
The newest reports to come in indicate that Apple could make a shift as far as the screen sizes are concerned. Apparently, the 2017 iPhone 8 will carry a 5-inch screen while the larger iPhone 8 Plus will feature an even larger 5.8-inch screen.