We may only be a couple months away from the announcement of the iPhone 8, and even more than usual the tech world appears to be holding its breath. As you’ve no doubt heard by now, this phone will mark the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone, and as such it’s expected to be a major release. The conventional thinking is that CEO Tim Cook and the Apple design and tech scenes will be pulling out all the stops to produce a device that represents a genuine departure from the last few phones, and resets the standard for what a mobile phone can offer.
These kinds of expectations have led to a lot of rumors about what we’ll be seeing when the new phone is officially unveiled. There’s very little we know for certain, but these are some of the rumors making their way around the internet lately.
A Confirmed Design?
Apple has not confirmed any design yet, despite the fact that, as usual, there have been a lot of images circulating online. Some have suggested that the new phone will have no bezel on the front, but will be entirely made up of a screen instead. Others have indicated (much to most consumers’ chagrin) that there might be a rear-facing fingerprint sensor. We may still get a design like one of these, but lately they’re starting to sound less likely.
This is largely true because we may have gotten our best hint yet as to what the new phone will actually wind up looking like, as well as some of the features the design hints at. The new report features renders based on case design and just might be authentic, even if they didn’t come straight from Apple. They indicate a full screen on the front with only a miniature bezel on the top to host an enhanced forward-facing camera. The design also showcases dual lenses on the back arranged in a vertical fashion, which will supposedly help with certain augmented reality programs. Also of note is that there is no longer even the illusion of a physical home button.
No Apple Pay?
There have been a few reports suggesting that Touch ID might not be ready in time for the release, which would mean that Apple Pay might not be featured during the launch. That’s a potentially major drawback of the device, and not just because Apple Pay would take a hit in popularity. People rely on Touch ID for far more than Apple’s native payment service, and in fact look to the security the feature provides for other types of payments as well.
Whether through PayPal, apps associated with specific banks, peer-to-peer transfer programs, or even Bitcoin, we now use simple transactions with our smartphones for all kinds of things. Certain forms of online gaming now require consideration of banking choices given the high volume of transactions. More and more online stores facilitate purchases with just a few clicks on a mobile device. And mobile app stores, like online gaming, sometimes involve connections to banking or payment services. Reliable security is of paramount importance for all of these things, and if it’s true that Touch ID isn’t ready (and it may well not be), iPhone 8 could be in for a rocky launch.
Facial Recognition?
Following up on the Touch ID discussion, it’s worth noting that there have also been rumors of facial recognition technology in the iPhone 8. It has been suggested that such tech could be used to help bring about interesting AR and gaming experiences. After recognizing your face, certain programs could design 3D models of you so that you could literally play as a version of yourself in a video game. However, facial recognition technology could also essentially replace Touch ID as a security measure. If that’s the case—and it’s still a big “if”—the concerns about lower security without a fingerprint scanner would be largely irrelevant.
New Colors?
Finally, for a fun one, there are also rumors that the iPhone 8 (which could also apparently be called the iPhone X, in honor of the 10th anniversary) will come in four colors. Those will likely include some combination of black, white, and possibly gold. But an intriguing image tweeted out by a mobile reporter recently also teased the idea of a mirror finish. That would be a bold new look for the iPhone, and just the kind of little thing that can get consumers excited.
Excited?
Stay gorgeous everyone!
