This year is the iPhone’s 10th birthday and fittingly Apple has one hell of an update waiting in the wings. Up to now, though, most believed it would be called the iPhone 8, with the standard models called iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus respectively.
However, all is not what it seems, after a couple of sources chimed in claiming that Apple’s high-end iPhone – the one with the OLED display – will actually be called the iPhone X or iPhone Edition.
The standard models of Apple’s new iPhones, the ones that will look quite a bit like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, will be called the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The reason? Simple: Apple feels an “s” update doesn’t do the handsets justice, as a lot has been changed.
"Behind the scenes, I’ve been discussing the upcoming iPhone launch on September 12th with many case vendors," notes 9to5Mac.
"At least two have heard, and have moved on, knowledge of the upcoming iPhone nomenclature and some details which they’ve separately learned from sources in Shenzhen who claim to have seen the new iPhone packaging."
"These people believe the names of the iPhones will be: iPhone 8, iPhone 8, Plus, iPhone Edition."
This means 2017’s iPhone lineup will look something like this: iPhone X or (iPhone Edition) and the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
Apple will unveil all of the handsets on September 12, potentially alongside a new Apple Watch (series 3) and a brand new 4K-compatible Apple TV unit.
The iPhone X (or iPhone Edition) will be super pricey, likely £1000+, pack in a brand new design, specs, and features, while the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus should be a little closer to what’s already available in the form of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Speaking personally, I feel iPhone Edition is the more likely candidate for the final nomenclature for Apple’s new flagship iPhone, as it already uses this term on its Apple Watch.
X is a bit, well… naff as well, and I think Apple would rather go with a branding convention it has already used, rather successfully, to communicate high-end luxury than something completely untested and used by C-List rappers in their stage names.
OLED Displays & AR – Why The iPhone EDITION Will Impact Everyone
The iPhone Edition (or X) will have a massive impact on the market at large as well; nothing will be the same after Apple debuts its OLED iPhone – and the effects will be felt by all.
Things like the price of a flagship phone, augmented reality, and the display used on handsets will all change, meaning those that aren’t doing things like edge-to-edge display, AR, and charging $1000 for a top flight phone will almost certainly change their ways.
Why? Simple: Apple commands trends in the mobile space, and whether you love or hate the company, one thing is always certain – what Apple does, others follow. This is why flagships are getting more expensive and it is also why Google has completely rethought its Project Tango with the ARCore initiative.
Apple will sell millions of its new iPhone Edition, converting millions of users over to augmented reality in the space of a few days – and this is huge. AR is still very much a niche technology now, but in just a few months time, thanks to iOS 11, it’ll be one of the most widely used technologies on the planet, such is the power of Apple’s iPhone and the reach it commands.
“ARKit has the potential to be the App Store of augmented reality. Nokia and Sony Ericsson had apps before the iPhone,” notes The Verge, “many of which were useful and fun, but it was Apple that truly delivered on the promise of a coherent and comprehensive mobile app store. Instagram would never have become a billion-dollar business if it had to run on Nokia’s Symbian platforms. The same is true of AR apps: we’ve had sputtering attempts at making them a mainstream thing for at least a decade, and what’s needed now is a leader to organize and systematize AR into a coherent system. Who better than Apple for such a task?”
Multiple leaks have shown off some of Apple’s upcoming iPhone’s key new design elements. Chief among them is the vertically stacked dual-camera lens system, as you can see below:
The ALL-FRONT display also looks stunning, though with the release of the LG G6 and Galaxy S8 occurring months before the iPhone one, the prospect of all-screen frontages, come Q4, won’t be all that new.
Still, the two leaks schematics show off a relatively robust looking handset that, importantly, packs in wireless charging – a thing sorely missing for all iPhones up to now.
The wireless charging element was confirmed by PowerMat’s CEO as well, so you can 100% expect the next generation iPhones to pack this feature among other things.
"With the recent announcement by Apple that wireless charging will become a standard feature in the next iPhone, we are finally at the threshold of mainstream adoption," said Mr. Dubzinski.
"Dan Stone has a proven track record of success and is uniquely qualified to help guide Powermat to the next level of service delivery. Under his guidance, CompuCom has enjoyed a reputation for delivering unparalleled IT support for enterprise clients and their end users. We look forward to benefitting from his experience and guidance."
The iPhone 8 model will be dramatically more expensive; I’ve heard talk of the handset costing more than $1000/£1000 which is insanely expensive for a phone – even if it is one that packs in a lot of new stuff.
"Kuo says Apple will remove the home button completely and replace it on the iPhone 8 with a ‘function area’ akin to the Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro line. The function area will be contextual, adapting to whatever users need depending on what they are doing,” notes Forbes.
It added: “Interestingly Kuo says the end result is the iPhone 8 will be almost bezel-less with a mammoth 5.8-inch display squeezed into a chassis no larger than the 4.7-inch iPhone 7. Exclude the function area, however, and the actual usable size of the display will be 5.15-inches - which is roughly in line with upcoming rivals like the Galaxy S8 (also tipped for a 5.8-inch display and onscreen controls).”
Either way, all will become clear on September 12.
