KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo revealed to MacRumors that the iPhone 8 would feature wireless charging. The high-end model is expected to have an OLED screen and cost over $1,000 when it launches later in the year.
Fast Company also has some insider reports that claim the new Apple flagships will be the most feature-rich yet.
This year’s smartphones may drop all physical buttons for 3D sensing technology.
The firm led by Tim Cook is still as secretive as ever and won’t give any details ahead of launch. The iPhone is currently the company’s strongest product, accounting for a majority of the sales above other gadgets like the MacBook and the iPad.
The third iPhone with an OLED screen may in 2017
KGI analyzes supply chains in Asia to make educated predictions about tech companies and their upcoming products. While doing this back in November, the firm found Apple was more than interested in OLED suppliers.
After some more digging, they concluded the company is preparing a third iPhone model for this year. The iPhone turns ten in 2017, and Apple is reportedly working on something special.
The information suggests there will be three versions: The standard 4.7-inch with an LCD, and two 5.5-inch models, one with LCD and the other with an OLED display. The latter two will also feature an enhanced version of the iPhone 7’s dual camera.
More features, higher price: iPhone 8 over $1,000?
Fast Company cites “a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans” when talking about their next flagship and its alarmingly high price. The new iPhone could cost $1,000 or more, according to the article.
Innovation comes at a price, and the tech giant reportedly wants to overhaul the upcoming device completely. This redesign would include doing away with physical buttons and installing an edge-to-edge OLED screen.
This style of display is reportedly coming as well in the next-generation of Samsung Galaxy handsets. No one knows whether Apple plans to fill the whole front face of the phone with a screen or just enough to leave space for speakers and the camera.
FastCo also suggests that this anniversary edition iPhone may be marketed as the iPhone X and that it might be bigger than the Plus model at 5.8 inches.
Other rumors say the phone may rely entirely on sensors for functions like the home key and the volume buttons. It may unlock with Touch ID directly on the display or face recognition software that triggers when users look at it.
The iPhone 8 will carry a more advanced processor and a bigger battery, with all three models soon supporting wireless charging. Experts are concerned this might make the device prone to overheating and malfunctions.
Source: MacRumors / Fast Company
