iPhone 8 may release faster, but will cost a bomb
Your dreams of holding the new iPhone may come true sooner than expected. According to a Tech Trader Daily report from February 6, there are indications that Apple Inc may be trying to pull in next generation iPhone builds as much as possible. The report suggests that Apple may in fact be initiating the production of its next flagship model as early as June 2017.
The report quotes BlueFin Research Partners’ John Donovan and Steve Mullane saying, “The most intriguing data points that we have uncovered suggests that AAPL is ramping the next generation iPhones earlier than historical norms”, which is a surprising move.
While it is definitely not Apple protocol to go off-schedule, it may very well be the reason, partly because 2017 is the 10th anniversary of the iPhone and it makes sense to launch their most ambitious product along with the celebrations.
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| iPhone 7 Plus and iPhone 7. [Photo: Digital Trends] |
But rumours and speculations apart, the one thing that is certain about the iPhone 8, is that it will no doubt be the most expensive product they will offer. According to several reports, the new iPhone is likely to have wireless charging, and a curved OLED display.
Jeng-wu Tai, the CEO of Sharp Corporation, a Japanese company involved in the manufacturing and sales of telecommunications equipment, said, "The iPhone has been evolving and now it is switching from LTPS to OLED panels. We don't know whether Apple's OLED iPhones will be a hit, but if Apple doesn't walk down this path and transform itself, there will be no innovation. It is a crisis but it is also an opportunity."
According to a Fast Company report from February 8, the 10th anniversary edition of the iPhone – the iPhone 8 - (although some believe it may be called the iPhone X) may have a price tag way north of $1,000 (Rs 67,000 roughly). The tag, of course, makes sense considering that the 256 GB variant of the iPhone 7 Plus is priced at $969 (Rs 65,000 roughly).
The sharp price rise is a attributed to the curved OLED display, which according to the Fast Company report, will cost apple twice as much as the LCD display used in iPhones at present.
The price rise may also be because of speculations of Apple working with Lumentum on 3D-sensing technology for the new high-end phone; although there is no substantial evidence of it being a part of the upcoming flagship. Additionally, the iPhone 8 is expected to have a far bigger battery than iPhone 7, but its exact size remains unclear.
Even if the reports are to be believed, the production of the new iPhone is still a bit far away, but the excitement that the Cupertino tech giant brings with every bit of speculation is just amazing. Let’s hope the new iPhone is everything we dream it is.