A Wednesday report by Fast Company claims Apple’s 10th Anniversary “iPhone 8” could break the $1,000 price barrier. The report, which cites the ever-popular “source with knowledge of Apple’s plans,” says the new handset will be the ultimate iPhone, and it will carry a price to match.
The price tag isn’t very surprising considering that the 256GB version of the iPhone 7 Plus sells for $969, and the new iPhone 8 is expected to be packed with many more features—including a new OLED display, which is said to look great and stretch across the whole front of the phone, according to our source, but will probably cost Apple roughly twice as much as the LCD display used in current iPhones. The new phone is also likely to get a memory upgrade from the current iPhone 7 line and, our source points out, memory is relatively expensive now due to the strong dollar.
Three iPhone Models to be Offered
Fast Company’s sources say Apple is expected to offer a 5.8-inch “iPhone 8,” alongside a 4.7-inch “iPhone 7s” model as well as a 5.5-inch “iPhone 7s Plus” model. Only the 5.8-inch model will boast an OLED screen.
Apple Locking up Available OLED Manufacturing Capacity
The report continues, saying Apple is doing its best to tie up as much of the available OLED display production capacity as it can, Samsung and a few other Asian companies currently provide OLED displays to the smartphone market, but only Samsung’s product meets Apple’s high-quality requirements.
The iPhone 8 will be made of forged stainless steel, which is less expensive than the aluminum currently used in the construction of the iPhone. The new device will sport a glass back in place of the current iPhone 7 lineup’s metal backside. The 5.5-inch and 5.8-inch models are expected to boast a dual-camera setup. like the current iPhone 7 Plus.
Fast Company’s sources also indicate Apple’s continuing effort to get rid of the physical Home button on the iPhone is “still evolving,” but the company is “pushing hard” to get the button in place under the display’s surface. The report also indicates Apple might even do away with the physical buttons on the sides of the handset, replacing them with touch-sensitive inlays in the metal.
3D-Sensing Technology Rumored
Apple is also said to be working with Lumentum on 3D-sensing technology for the new high-end phone. It isn’t clear how exactly Apple would make use of the technology for the new iPhone, although it could be used for facial recognition, or possibly be used to enhance image resolution.
As expected, the iPhone 8 is expected to have a bigger battery than the current lineup. However, the exact capacity of the power cell isn’t known at this point in time.
No Accelerated Production Schedule
The report’s source shoots down rumors that Apple is accelerating its production schedule for the new handsets, saying there is no evidence from Apple’s manufacturing partners to support the rumor. Full production usually begins in May, hitting its stride in August, for a fall release.
As is usual, the report is based on unnamed sources, so it should be filed under “rumors” and should be treated as such until Apple confirms its plans for the new device.
