Apple's iPhone 8: The Top 8 Rumors

Biggest And Best iPhone Yet?

All signs point to a blockbuster 10th anniversary release of the iPhone by Apple in September. Rumors suggest the iPhone 8 -- which may or may not be the ultimate name -- will include numerous changes from past iPhone models, and will command the highest iPhone price yet. Apple also may release more incremental models in the form of an iPhone 7S and 7S Plus—but with most of the attention on the iPhone 8, we've rounded up the top rumors we've come across so far about the device.

What follows are the top eight rumors so far about the features, specs and price for Apple's iPhone 8.

Larger Display, Minimal Bezel

Rumors suggest the iPhone 8 will feature a larger display size -- 5.8 inches -- than the largest iPhone on the market right now, the iPhone 7 Plus, which is 5.5 inches. However, the larger amount of screen space won't mean a bigger phone overall. Reports point to an overall size akin to the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, thanks to the near-elimination of bezels on the top and bottom of the smartphone (for what some are calling an "edge-to-edge" display). Notably, a number of reports suggest that the iPhone 8 display will include a small notch at the top, which will provide space for the front-facing camera and other sensors.

OLED Display

One area where Apple has trailed Samsung is on offering an OLED display, which provides a number of advantages over LCD (better contrast, colors and energy efficiency). Rumors strongly suggest that Apple will be bringing OLED to the iPhone 8 display; some reports even suggest that Apple is using one-third of Samsung's OLED production for the iPhone 8. The display also may come with improved resolution, as the accidental release of firmware for the Apple HomePod speaker revealed references to a 2,436 x 1,125 resolution for the iPhone 8. That's well above the iPhone 7 (1,334 x 750) and iPhone 7 Plus (1,920 x 1,080) displays.

Body

Rumors suggest that the iPhone 8 body will be getting an overhaul compared with previous models, with Apple building the phone with a glass-and-steel body instead of aluminum. The glass backing will cover stainless steel on the iPhone 8, according to some reports. Along with giving the phone a premium look, the glass also could help to enable wireless charging, another rumored new feature for the iPhone 8.

Wireless Charging

According to a number of reports, Apple is bringing induction-based wireless charging to the iPhone 8, which typically uses a charging pad (rather than being able to charge over longer distances). The iPhone 8 is expected to use the Qi inductive standard from the Wireless Power Consortium, a group that Apple joined this year. The Apple Watch already uses induction-based wireless charging, and reportedly leaked images of the iPhone 8's internal design appear to show a wireless charging coil. However, some rumors do suggest that the software involved with wirelessly charging the iPhone 8 may not be ready in time for the device launch, and so the accessory for wireless charging may be made available later on.

Facial Recognition

Apple may be changing things up in terms of how users unlock the iPhone 8. Rumors suggest that fingerprint unlocking through Touch ID is going away with the phone, due in part to the use of an end-to-end display. Instead, rumors suggest Apple is planning to offer facial recognition for unlocking the iPhone 8. And the company is working hard on the technology to ensure that it works to unlock the phone even in the dark or when the phone is lying on a flat surface. Related rumors suggest the iPhone 8 won't include any sort of Home Button -- which previously housed the fingerprint reader -- and may also include new features such as "Tap to Wake," which will let users wake up the phone when it's lying flat by tapping on the display.

Camera Improvements

Rumors suggest the iPhone 8 will be outfitted with a dual rear-camera setup, and will have optical image stabilization on both cameras. Enhancements to the cameras on the iPhone 8 over previous models may include a new system for enabling augmented reality usage, as well as "SmartCam" mode for better detection of the conditions for improved photo quality. In addition, reports point to possible support for shooting 4K video at 60 frames per second, on both the front-facing and rear-facing cameras of the iPhone 8.

Processor And Battery Life

Not to be forgotten are some of the more incremental -- but still crucial to the user experience -- changes with the next iPhone release. The iPhone 8 is expected to include a faster processor (the A11) as well as, potentially, a larger battery. Regardless of whether the rumors of a larger battery are true, however, it's possible the iPhone 8 will get improved battery life over previous models thanks the use of the A11 processor (which will likely be more energy-efficient) and the more-efficient OLED display.

Price Increase, Release Date

Rumors and analyst predictions suggest the iPhone 8 may get a significant increase in price over past iPhone models, perhaps sending it above the $1,000 mark. Other predictions point to a starting price in the $850 to $900 range -- which would still be higher than the iPhone 7 Plus starting price of $769, but also more in line with the price range of Samsung's Galaxy S8 Plus (which starts at $840). So in short, there's no consensus right now on the iPhone 8's price.

We may have a better sense about the timing of the launch -- Apple's strong revenue guidance for the quarter including September suggests the iPhone 8 will be launching on the same schedule as previous iPhone launches, with orders starting in late September. However, a recent report from The Korea Herald said the iPhone 8 will be delayed until November, citing supply chain sources that said the device is still facing design and technical issues.