iPhone 8 Details — What We Know So Far

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Apple’s iPhone and one of the industry’s leading smartphone flagships. The iPhone 8, which is rumored to potentially be named the “iPhone Edition” or “iPhone X”, is a few weeks away from launch and Apple have kept their cards close to the chest for as long as possible, but the vital details are pretty much all known now. We’re going to break down the specs and other relevant details for anyone interested in picking up the next successor to the illustrious iOS lineup.

When can we expect it?

The release date seems to be mid-September, according to reports from Mac and Apple tech websites – but this date isn’t set in stone yet. There are differing accounts regarding its release, with some claiming a delay in development might push its release all the way to 2018, while others assure us that the arrival is on schedule for release some time in between September and October 2017. Without official confirmation, there’s no way to be certain, but to be on the safe side don’t get your expectations up to have the newest iPhone before the first September rains.

What’s under the hood?

With current smartphone functionality and power rivaling that of some laptop specs, the new iPhone is going to have to improve notably to keep pace with its Android rivals. Thankfully, some of its spec rumours suggest that it can:

• 5.8 inch 2.5D OLED display
• New design with “all glass” construction
• Wireless charging support
• A11 chipset
• iOS 11 (Improved Siri and e-wallet/payment functionality)
• Face-scanning technology
• Dual rear cameras
• LTE speeds up to 450Mbps
• 128GB/256GB storage (512GB rumored)

Most devout iPhone users are less concerned with how the latest iPhone shapes up against its Android competitors and more interested in whether the newer one is worth making the jump for. For the iPhone 8, it seems as though that is highly likely, specifically due to the updated A11 chipset that will replace the A10 from the iPhone 7. The iOS devices are notoriously smooth and quick in the manner they handle tasks, so the A11 should allow the iPhone 8 to easily keep pace thanks to the significant boost in performance over its predecessor. Other additions, such as the design, dual rear cameras, and full speed wireless charging, are novel for an iPhone, but are all industry standards at this point.

It’s performance and functionality do look to be a step up from the iPhone 7, though, so serial iPhone users don’t need to hesitate too much when considering the upgrade – if you need the additional performance capacity, the iPhone 8 will most likely provide it.

What is its price point?  

Unfortunately, a trend that Apple is gleefully continuing is the rapidly-rising price of its flagship smartphones. While local prices have yet to be confirmed, the rumoured price stateside is near the $1,000 (around R13,000) mark at minimum, with some speculating it could rise to as high as $1,200 (R15,600) when it does hit shelves. This may not be a deterrent for those always willing to shell out for the latest Apple device, but it’s potentially going to be a sticking point for consumers comparing the iPhone to other Android options that admittedly a fair amount cheaper. That said, its increased performance was always going to carry a premium price, but the latest increase may be a step too far for some to justify.

Overall, the speculated specs for the iPhone 8 suggest that it will be an impressive device, albeit prohibitively expensive. Some details remain to be confirmed, such as all the storage options, with a massive 512GB version supposedly one of the options that will be available – but we’ve got a fair idea of what to expect. With the addition of its face-scanning tech (the replacement for the current fingerprint scanning), the iPhone 8 has clearly benefitted from some meticulous R&D – but do these novel quirks justify its ballooning price?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and Tweet us at @MenStuffZA!