Everything we think we know about the iPhone 8

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iPhone 8 concept
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Thanks to a bevy of leaks that flooded the internet this week, we know more about the iPhone 8 than ever before. Even if only half the rumors turn out to be true, this year’s iPhone is set to be the most innovative device Apple has made in years.

Here’s what we know so far.

Latest iPhone 8 rumors and leaks

Apple isn’t expected to unveil its new lineup of smartphones for more than four months — and might wait longer than that to ship at least one model — but iPhone rumor season is in full swing.

Naming the 2017 iPhone

No one knows the next iPhone’s name.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Perhaps the biggest debate among Apple fans in 2017 is just what the hell Cupertino will call its flagship iPhone this year. It’s the 10th anniversary of the first iPhone, so Apple might break from its usual naming convention or bust out a special edition smartphone.

Some analysts predict this year’s iPhone will be called the “iPhone 8,” or the “iPhone X,” or “iPhone 10” or maybe even the “iPhone Edition.” All of those names are fine, but we’re going to keep calling it the iPhone 8 until its real name gets officially revealed.

iPhone 8 design

iphone 8 function bar

Apple is reportedly working on an all-new body for the iPhone 8. This year’s flagship will supposedly bring back some of the best elements from previous designs.

The iPhone 8 may come with a glass front and back with a stainless steel band sandwiched in between, similar to the iPhone 4 though 5s. Deep curves are supposed to make the device feel better in the hand and give it a more refined look.

OLED display

iphone
We hope the next iPhone is this beautiful.
Photo: AlHasan Husni

Apple is expected to embrace OLED displays with the iPhone 8. Switching to OLED will give Apple the ability to use screens with curved edges. The iPhone 8 is rumored to feature an edge-to-edge OLED display, but it may not wrap around the sides of the phone like on the Galaxy S8.

New Touch ID

iphone 8 concept
This is what the iPhone might look like without a Home button.
Photo: MacCityNet

One of the biggest changes on the iPhone 8 will likely come to the Touch ID button. To make the iPhone’s bezels smaller than ever, Apple will reportedly remove the Touch ID button at the bottom of the phone.

Rumors suggest Apple is working to embed the Touch ID fingerprint scanner into the phone’s display. However, a leaked schematic of the iPhone 8 appears to show that Apple plans to move Touch ID to the back of the device.

Vertical dual-lens cameras

iphone 8 concept
Vertical lenses could help with AR and parallax pictures.
Photo: iDropNews

Instead of positioning the iPhone 8 camera’s dual lenses side-by-side (as in the iPhone 7 Plus), Apple might move the zoom lens so that it’s below the wide-angle lens. Well-known leaker Sonny Dickson’s alleged iPhone 8 schematic also shows the flash LED will be placed underneath both lenses. A previous leak suggested it would be positioned in between the two lenses.

Facial recognition in iPhone 8?

iPhone 8 facial recognition
How facial recognition could work on iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The FaceTime camera on the iPhone 8 could be set for some huge upgrades. Rumors claim Apple plans to add a 3-D sensor and facial-recognition tech so you can unlock the iPhone just by looking at it. With the 3-D sensor, the device may be able to capture 3-D selfies, giving gamers the option to replace characters’ faces with your own.

Wireless charging finally coming to iPhone

iPhone 8 wireless charging
iPhone 8 won’t have truly wireless charging.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This year could be the first time Apple brings wireless charging to the iPhone. However, it won’t be truly wireless charging as some rumormongers predicted last year. iPhone 8 owners will probably need to lay the device on a pad or connect it to an inductive charger like the Apple Watch. Adding wireless charging will free up the Lightning port so users no longer need to bust out a dongle if they want to listen to music and charge the device at the same time.

Augmented reality

Siri AR concept
How AR could be used for better turn-by-turn navigation.
Photo: Gabor Balogh

Apple will reportedly bring some huge innovations to the iPhone 8 that will lay the foundation for a future play in the world of augmented reality. With augmented reality integrated directly into the iPhone 8’s camera app, the device will let you interact with the world in an all-new way by overlaying information on real-world objects.

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