While the iPhone 7 is set to release in less than ten days, Apple will celebrate the 10th anniversary of iPhones with the launch of the iPhone 2017, also known as the iPhone 8. Since the news has spread, rumor mills are abuzz about every single aspect of the phone. From its specifications, to its features, to the date of its launch, everything about the new device has caught the attention of market pundits and iPhone enthusiasts alike.
Here are some of the features we can expect from the iPhone 8:
Display
Having signed a deal with Samsung for OLED (organic light emitting diode) displays, it is expected that Apple will include an edge-to-edge OLED display in the iPhone 8. Traditionally, liquid crystal displays (LCDs) have been used in smartphones to provide backlighting. With OLEDs, the need for backlighting can easily be eliminated, which in turn allows manufacturers to reduce the thickness and weight of the display used in the device. OLEDs also offer improved viewing angles, better power efficiency, and faster response as compared with LCDs.
As Apple plans to create wraparound or curved displays, use of OLED displays is perhaps the best choice it has made. At the same time, OLEDs are not that great when it comes to being water resistant and also have a shorter lifespan than LCD displays – two issues that Apple needs to work on addressing.
Design
It is also expected that the aluminum body that has been used in iPhones since 2012 will be replaced by a glass-backed body that was last used in the iPhone 4s. Even though glass is fragile and heavier than aluminum, advancements in glass technology have resulted in materials like Gorilla Glass, which is sturdier and does not break easily. Also, with the use of OLED displays, Apple can implement a heavier glass-backed body without significantly impacting the overall weight of the device.
Processor
It is a known fact that each year, Apple unveils a new processor along with its flagship devices. The same will be the case with iPhone 2017. iPhone 8 is expected to run on an advanced processor with 7 nanometer FinFET. The device will also have 4GB RAM, which is more than sufficient to handle high end multitasking with OS X.
Apart from these key features, there are speculations that iPhone 8 might have long-range wireless charging technology, advanced biometric features like facial recognition, or iris scanning and NAND flash memory.
Too much innovation or too little?
While it is too early to give a definitive answer, this is something worth considering, especially when looking at the competition and recognizing that Apple has been making updated versions of the same device for nearly a decade. Though only the future can determine whether iPhone 8 will set a precedent for other smartphones, there is no denying that many features of the device are not entirely new or revolutionary. For example: Samsung has already introduced curved displays. Further, Apple is not the only brand that has changed the size of device displays in order to improve user experience, nor is it the only one working to incorporate advanced biometric capabilities in smartphones.
Will the iPhone 8 be the most innovative smartphone available on the market, or will competitors start to really bring the heat? Could Apple be trying to integrate too many new features at once, alluding to the idea that it is in fact possible to be “too” innovative? And, perhaps most importantly, will Apple’s brand continue to be enough to drive equal or greater sales numbers, even if some features have mixed reception (like what happened with the increased size of the iPhone 6)? It’s hard to say right now, but it will be interesting to see how things play out in the next year.
Want to stay informed and up-to-date on the latest developments in the industry?
