UK Edition
iPhone 8 owners will be able to silence notifications with a glance, leak reveals
Owners of Apple's upcoming iPhone 8 will be able to silence notifications with a glance at their phone using facial recognition technology, leaks of the code have revealed.
The new flagship smartphone, anticipated for release in September, will suppress sounds or ring tones when its user looks at it, according to developers.
Clues about the iPhone 8, pictured here with renders from iDropNews, hidden in code released by Apple, also reveal it will be able to capture ultra slow-motion video and will have a customisable home button.
Developers have discovered numerous features in the HomePod smart speaker's code, including a design for the edge-to-edge screen and new facial recognition software. Apple accidentally revealed the potential iPhone 8 features as part of a firmware release it quickly took it down.
iOS developer Guilherme Rambo discovered a clue that indicates the iPhone 8 will be know when users glance at the screen and will mute notifications in response.
A similar feature, called "Smart Stay", has been available on several generations of Samsung phones, keeping the phone active when it detects a user is still looking at the screen.
Rambo also found hints that the iPhone will be able to capture ultra slow-motion video at greater resolution than previous models, at 1080p definition as opposed to the current 720p.
Pearl ID
The new iPhone's "Pearl ID", widely believed to be the name for its facial recognition software, could have the ability to authorise payments and be supported by third party apps, Rambo added.
It is also predicted to be able recognise multiple faces, according to the code. Facial recognition is expected to replace Touch ID as the main way of unlocking the iPhone.
Home button and screen layout
While earlier reports suggested the lower part of the iPhone 8's screen may have a form of touch bar or function area similar to that seen on Apple's Macbooks, the leaked firmware suggests a space for a virtual home button.
Developer Steve Troughton-Smith found code for a flexible, virtual Home Button that could could be resized or hidden, 9to5Mac reported.
Troughton-Smith also found the estimated dimensions of the "notch" at the top of the iPhone's screen, which will house sensors and its front facing camera. Other developers offered suggestions of how apps and the home screen might look.
When will the iPhone 8 be released?
Apple's new iPhone is usually unveiled in early September, either on a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Most of its recent launches have come the week after IFA, a major technology conference in Germany, which this year starts on September 1. That means the best guess is Tuesday September 5 or Wednesday September 6 for the iPhone 8 release. Because the Monday is a US holiday, Wednesday might be more likely.
The phone then tends to go on sale a week or two later on a Friday, so September 15 or 22 are the best bets. Pre-orders normally open a week before they go on sale.