Apple's iPhone 8 - Coming in 2017
2017 will mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone and Apple has something major planned to celebrate the occasion. We're more than a year away from the launch of the iPhone 8, but because of Apple's ambitious plans for the device, there are already an abundance of rumors hinting at the impressive features coming in the 2017 iPhone.
Rumors suggest it's going to be a radical redesign, with an edge-to-edge display that does away with the top and bottom bezels where features like the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and the front-facing camera are housed. Instead, Touch ID and the camera may be built directly into the display, meaning there will be no Home button. Jony Ive has wanted to introduce an iPhone that looks like a single sheet of glass for several years, and glass is also necessary if Apple wants to introduce wireless charging.
Inside, the iPhone 8 is expected to have a 10-nanometer A11 chip that will be both faster and more efficient, plus rumors suggest it could also include features like long-range wireless charging and biometric additions like iris or facial scanning. In higher-end models with a dual-lens camera, both lenses are expected to feature optical image stabilization.
Apple is said to be planning to position the OLED iPhone 8 as a "Premium" model that will perhaps be sold alongside standard flat display 4.7, 5, and 5.5-inch iPhone models, but it is unclear exactly what sizes will be available, which configurations will be sold, and which materials devices will be made out of.
Design
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is going to move away from the aluminum body that it's been using since 2012 in an effort to differentiate the iPhone from the devices that have come before it.
Apple is expected to instead re-adopt the glass-backed body last used for the iPhone 4s. Glass is more fragile and heavier than aluminum, but Kuo does not foresee this being problematic. Many advances have been made in glass technology and materials like Gorilla Glass are sturdier than ever, which may help prevent breakage. Cutting down on the thickness and weight of the display through the use of OLED will allow Apple to use a heavier material for the body without significantly impacting the overall weight of the device.
Display
At least one iPhone 8 model is expected to include a flexible OLED display and Apple has already signed a deal with at least one manufacturer, Samsung, to produce OLED displays for devices set to debut in 2017.
Samsung will provide Apple with an estimated 20 million AMOLED panels per month in 2017 once manufacturing begins, and will be Apple's sole supplier in 2017. OLED displays from companies like AU Optronics, Japan Display, and Sharp won't be ready until 2018, so Apple will need to rely heavily on Samsung in 2017.
Processor
TSMC has begun to tape out the design for the A11 chip built on a 10-nanometer process, completing the first stages of the design that is likely destined for the 2017 iPhone. Certification for the 10-nanometer process is expected to be achieved in late 2016, with the first 10-nanometer chips sent to Apple for validation during the first quarter of 2017. TSMC has reportedly secured all orders for the A11 chip.
An A11 chip, like all of Apple's chip upgrades, will be both faster and more energy efficient, in addition to being smaller.s
Wireless Charging
Apple is working on long-range wireless charging technology that rumors suggest could be implemented in iPhones as soon as 2017, making it an ideal addition to the iPhone 8. Long-range wireless charging is superior to many existing wireless charging methods because it does not require devices to be as close to a charging source or mat.
There are some obstacles to overcome before such technology can be implemented, such as the loss of power transfer efficiency that occurs when the distance between the transmitter and the receiver is increased. This causes batteries further away from a charging source to charge more slowly.
Apple has been hiring engineers with expertise in wireless charging in recent months, suggesting a wireless charging feature could indeed be in the works. With Apple having eliminated the headphone jack in the 2016 iPhone 7, leaving the Lightning port to serve multiple functions, wireless charging is a logical next step for the 2017 iPhone. Rumors of a glass body also support wireless charging rumors, as wireless charging functionality works better without an aluminum casing.