Apple iPhone 8 dummy leaked; will be announced this fall but hit store shelves later: Report

Everyone’s excited about this year’s Apple event. That is because this year is different compared to every other iPhone launch event by Apple in the past. This is year is special, because Apple is expected to launch a third new model of the iPhone, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of its hero product. From what we have witnessed through leaks and rumours , there are a lot of expectations. Analysts however say that fans and customers should not get too excited. While Apple’s usual flagships (standard and ‘Plus’ models) will go on sale shortly after the big announcement, the third new iPhone (tagged as the iPhone 8) will probably not. According to a report by Digital Trends, KGI and other Apple watchers say that the Cupertino giant will most likely, not put the iPhone 8 up for sale at the same time as the upcoming iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models. What this means is that Apple may announce all three iPhones at its big event, but only the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus will go on sale, leaving the iPhone 8 for a later date. And there are reasons for this. These are to do with problems with acquiring a fingerprint reader with a touch sensor that is hidden beneath the display, one that Samsung also tried, but failed to implement due to time constraints in its just launched Galaxy S8 and S8+ devices. Instead, Samsung went with facial recognition along with iris recognition on the front, with the fingerprint reader located at the back of the device, thanks to the restrictions put in place with the new Infinity display. At the same time fresh new images have leaked out of what appears to be an iPhone 8 dummy unit. As you can see from the images leaked by Twitter user, Benjamin Geskin, both the front and back get the 2.5D glass treatment, with the center frame (or chassis) being made out of stainless steel. This would be similar to the Apple Watch Series 2 models that feature a stainless steel case for durability. Again, the stainless steel case will also allow Apple to add some colour to their lineup without the worry of smartphones getting scratched , like on the recent Jet Black models of the iPhone 7. According to the tipster, the dummy is a CNC model from Foxconn. If this truly turns out to be the iPhone 8, Apple would, in a way, be going back to its roots. The iPhone 8 you see above looks eerily similar to the first iPhone by Apple with blacked out bezels and a chromed body.

What is interesting here is the lack of a home button on the front. On the left, we have the usual ringer switch with the volume buttons, while the right side gets two cutouts. While the one closer to the top is the power button, the cutout below is the place for the usual single SIM tray. The rear, as with recent leaks, showcases a cutout for the dual camera setup laid out in a vertical manner. It isn’t clear as to what Apple would name this third iPhone model, but the rumour mill so far hints at iPhone 8, iPhone X or the iPhone Edition, which would also hint at it premium price tag.