Richard Goodwin 11/09/2017 - 4:47pm

iPhone 8, iOS 11, key new features and updates all leaked by disgruntled Apple employee

The iPhone 8, along with lots of details about iOS 11, have been leaked online by a disgruntled Apple employee just days before the company’s big reveal.

And unlike most leaks these days, this one is almost certain to have come from inside Apple’s HQ, where security and privacy is taken very seriously.

Apple’s launches are usually kept under wraps until the day of the launch. We get tidbits of information every now and then, but it is never usually anything concrete; usually, we have to go on blurry images, spec rumors, and leaks from inside Foxconn.

Not this week, though. No, this week we have a proper solid leak from inside Apple’s HQ and the ramifications are huge, as it reveals much of what Apple would have preferred stayed under wraps until tomorrow.

“Someone within Apple leaked the list of URLs to 9to5Mac and MacRumors. I’m nearly certain this wasn’t a mistake, but rather a deliberate malicious act by a rogue Apple employee. Whoever did this is the least popular person in Cupertino. More surprises were spoiled by this leak than any leak in Apple history,” wrote John Grubber.

Someone also provided the BBC with links to iOS 11’s gold standard download. When said links were clicked, the update was downloaded from Apple’s VERY OWN servers, again, highlighting the credibility of this leak.

There has been a lot of talk about what Apple’s OLED iPhone will actually be called. This latest leak suggests the OLED iPhone will be called the iPhone X Edition – and there’s even a box to prove it, which you can see below.

The iPhone X Edition will be available in four color options, including a new, mirror-style version. Apple has apparently had a mountain of problems getting the iPhone X Edition ready for Q4, most of which were to do with the handset’s new display.

The leaked information highlighted the following new features for the iPhone X Edition:

  • The Removal of the home button
  • A 'tap to wake' feature
  • Facial expression detection, which may be used for Apple Pay
  • An edgeless display
  • An infrared camera 
  • A 'SmartCam' 
  • 4K video at 60 fps

The LCD – or standard iPhones – will be known as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, more or less confirming talk that Apple has nixed the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus.

And the reason? Simple: the iPhone 8 will be too advanced to be considered a mere incremental update, so much so, in fact, that it warrants a solid-number status, which is something usually reserved for big updates.

There are plenty of concerns about the number of iPhone X units Apple will have ready for the phone’s Q4 release.

“Due to component supply constraints,” said Ming-Chi Kuo, “we estimate current production of the OLED iPhone at less than 10k units per day, which means the model will remain in severe short supply for a while. Furthermore, we estimate that the gold version of the OLED iPhone will encounter some production problems and will initially be available only in extremely low volume. There is even a chance that the gold version will go on sale at a later date than the other versions. However, we believe these shipment delays will have a limited impact on the shares of Apple and its supply chain members.”

One of the most interesting aspects of the new iPhone’s launch will be how Apple markets the two styles of iPhone. The iPhone X Edition is the flagship and will cost north of £1000 to acquire, leading many to speculate Apple’s iPhone lineup will start to mimic its iPad product line.

The iPhone X Edition will essentially be the iPad Pro of the iPhone space, with the standard iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus bringing up the rear at a slightly lower price point.

How low remains to be seen, but seeing that the iPhone X Edition is going to retail for well over £1000, it stands to reason that Apple could get very aggressive with its iPhone 8 pricing – perhaps even making them cheaper than the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

The iPhone X Edition and iPhone 8 will launch on September 12 at Apple’s new Spaceship-style HQ in Cupertino.