It’s been two months since Apple unveiled its latest iPhone flagship smartphone and speculations regarding their next year’s launch are already taking the rounds. The company will be celebrating its 10th iPhone anniversary and if rumors are believed to be true, they are planning a major design and software overhaul with their speculated launch in order to memorize the occasion. In fact, Apple KGI Securities Analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo has even estimated that the iPhone 8 would be the best-selling iPhone ever.
“To our understanding, while demand visibility in 2H17F is as yet unclear and presumed pull-in demand may change anytime, upstream suppliers may be around now setting ramp-up targets for new iPhone pull-in of somewhere between 120mn and 150mn units in 2H17F, exceeding previous iPhone 6, 6s and 7 cycles of 110-120mn, 100-110mn and 90-100mn units, respectively. In other words, ramp-up for 2H17F pull-in may exceed the previous peak for iPhone 6, and hit a historical high,” he forecasted.
A recent report published by Softpedia suggests that the long-time designer and Apple’s Chief Design Office, Jony Ive will not be designing next year’s iPhone. He is reportedly less involved in the iPhone design process and more focused on other projects at Apple including the new spaceship campus. “I’ve heard that he (Jony Ive) has lately been checked out or not as directly involved with product design and that he’s been largely focused on architecture,” said Apple expert, Jason Snell during John Gruber’s ‘The Talk Show’ podcast. “Meaning the spaceship campus and the new stores. And that maybe the another top-level executive who’s been working the most with Ive is Angela Arhendts,” he added.
Other rumors have suggested that the iPhone 8 may feature an all-glass body and metal frame. The company is also said to be searching for ways to remove bezels and introduce OLED screens.
Kuo even believes that the company will be focusing on improving iPhone 8’s camera features. “We believe Apple will add OIS function to the telephoto CCM in order to enhance the selling points of new year’s new iPhone. We think photo quality and optical zoom range may both improve as a result,” Kuo said. “We expect the telephoto lens will be redesigned to support OIS in the telephoto CCM, with challenges likely coming from 1) the need to increase the image circle of the telephoto lens, which will lead to longer calibration time and a more complex assembly processes, 2) a redesign of the telephoto lens, as an increased image circle will result in degraded photo quality around the corner,” he added.
Several reports have even added that the company plans on launching three different iPhone 8 variants next year and that Apple will finally be introducing a new 5.8-inch display.
Rumours and concept predictions keep surfacing online. However, no official confirmation regarding the device’s specifications has been given as of yet. Let’s see what we have in store.