With an edge-to-edge Infinity Display and a horde of other new features, the Samsung Galaxy S8 has turned out to be quite a stunner. To take on the new flagship from its arch rival, Apple is also rumoured to make significant modifications to its next-generation smartphone model, presumably called the iPhone 8.
According to Japanese blog Mac Otakara, Apple’s 2017 iPhone iteration will come with a polished stainless steel “glass sandwich” design. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the blog also said that the so-called “iPhone Edition,” which is expected to debut along with the updated “iPhone 7s” and “iPhone 7s Plus” later this year, would feature an improved version of the stainless steel enclosure found in the Apple Watch.
The “glass sandwich” design means that the smartphone, more commonly referred to as iPhone 8, will sport a slim stainless steel frame sandwiched between two slabs of glass on the device’s front and back.
Although the glass is likely to be slightly curved along the edges with a 2.5D design like the existing iPhone 7 models, the OLED display on the 2017 iPhone model is to be completely flat, the blog said, contradicting earlier rumours that the iPhone 8 could the first of its kind to feature a curved screen.
To compete against Samsung’s Galaxy S8, the iPhone 8 is also said to feature an iSight duel-lens camera which will be vertically aligned on the rear, making it a good fit for VR headsets.
The Mac Otakara report also said that the refreshed “iPhone 7s” and “iPhone 7s Plus” smartphones could sport a slightly thicker form factor than the current iPhone 7 models to house advanced internal components.
The report essentially retold previous rumours that the Cupertino tech giant would be launching three variants of the iPhone in 2017. The premium model, with a price tag of over $1,000, could feature a slightly curved OLED screen measuring 5.2 inches. The remaining two models, on the other hand, could sport the conventional liquid crystal display measuring 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, respectively.
