As we’re steadily inching closer to the launch of next Apple iPhone devices, the number of leaks and rumors have seen a sudden spike. And as expected, most of them are focused on the new redesigned 10th Anniversary iPhone expected to debut alongside the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus variants. A fresh report with new details and feature updates about this device has now surfaced on the interwebs.
In the said report, Japanese publication Mac Okatara suggests that Apple’s massively redesigned iPhone will be named iPhone Edition. It further says that the new label lines up with Cupertino’s naming strategy for premium devices, as seen with the Apple Watch Edition. But, the company is said to be still experimenting with numerous designs and prototypes. It has not finalized the design aesthetics and features of the 10th-anniversary flagship as of yet.
This has been further expanded upon by adding that Apple is presently toying with different display and fingerprint technologies. The company also seems to be confused about whether they should keep or remove their trademark home button on this device. It is also said to be experimenting with different types of materials for the chassis of the new iPhone. The same has been described in the blog post (translated from Japanese) as under:
There are multiple prototype models, and development is continued in parallel with the engineering verification test (Engineering Verification Test), and in addition to the glass enclosure, aluminum enclosure, white ceramic enclosure, IPS TFT, There are possibilities that various models such as AMOLED, models with home buttons, models without home buttons, etc. have been developed at the level close to the product.
Also, the report adds that Apple might be working round the clock with development and testing in parallel but it is expected to face delays due to the procurement of new materials for design changes. It says that Apple has already finalized a few elements of iPhone Edition, such as the inclusion of a 5-inch display, dual cameras, and wireless charging, but is still testing out other concepts (USB-C support or software changes!?).
But, Mac Okatara has also uncovered an interesting fact about the display size and usability for the iPhone Edition. While reports have till date only referred to the complete usable screen size of this new device, the report has provided a breakdown. It states that iPhone Edition will pack a massive 5.8-invch screen into the body of a smaller 4.7-inch iPhone, which sounds phenomenal. The said screen is going to have 5.15-inches of display available for regular use, the rest of the space will include the function area with virtual keys.
However, steering back to the product timeline, If the company decides to procure materials post the Design Verification Test stage, then it will surely face a delay and won’t launch alongside the iPhone 7s lineup at the event in September. The device might be shown off on stage at this launch event but it will be launched well after the upgraded lineup, says the report.
This report adds on to previous speculations, from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and Nikkei Review, which suggested that the redesigned iPhone 8 will surely feature an OLED screen, while the other two upgraded variants will include the usual LCD screens. It is presently being said that the iPhone 7s lineup will just be grabbing spec updates like every year, but the iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition) will bring along some excitement and innovation to the table.
Thus, the release of a high-end iPhone model with exclusive features may also justify the hefty $1,000 price tag that has currently been slapped on to this device. And this first-of-a-kind device might actually fall in line with the said pricing, making it worth spending that kind of money. But, since nothing is set in stone until the official release, we’d suggest you intake this leaked info with a grain of salt.
