Apple's iPhone 8 will get a release date inside Q4 2017... below is ALL the latest iPhone 8 release
date, leaks and specs rumours
This year’s iPhone – or, should I say, iPhones – are widely expected to be a return to true, innovative form for Apple. After three long years of the same design, 2017 will be the year that Apple once again introduces a completely redesigned chassis.
The physical aspect of the iPhone will be the biggest change, arguably, as this is something almost all iPhones users are hungry for, however, there will also be significant changes under the hood with big improvements to processing grunt, power efficiencies and overall battery performance.
There will also be three models, apparently: the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8 Pro – the latter of which is expected to feature the largest display Apple has ever placed on an iPhone. It is also believed the iPhone 8 Pro model could feature plenty of cross-over with Apple’s iPad Pro lineup, meaning Apple Pen support and the like.
OLED displays are set to taking over too; though some reports suggest these new panels could be reserved for the Pro model only. And you can expect to pay a pretty hefty premium for one of those – likely north of $1000/£1000.
Allegedly, this will be the iPhone Jony Ive has always dreamt of making.
According to a German analyst, Apple is now working on a dedicated power management chip design that it is developing in-house.
"Karsten Iltgen, analyst for German bank Bankhaus Lampe, cut his rating on Dialog Semiconductor this Tuesday, sending the chip manufacturer’s shares down the slope," reports PhoneArena.
"Mr Iltgen statated that “strong evidence” suggests Apple is looking to ditch Dialog’s power management integrated circuits (PMIC), and is allegedly working on its own unit that could go live by 2019."
Dialog is one of the world leading power management chip producers and accounts for around 20% of the market. The firm's share prices doubled in 2016 due to expectation from analysts that it would provide hardware for the iPhone 8 in 2017, but this latest revelation turns that assumption upside down. Reuters cites insider sources who claim Apple has been trying to poach Dialog engineers "like crazy", allegedly Apple is trying to set up power management design centres in Munich and California. The firm already has as many as 80 engineers working on power management, according to the details, but in order to cut its dependence on Dialog would need to recruit as many as 1,000 more engineers.
The new follows a similar situation with Apple's GPU partner, Imagination Technologies, which revealed that Apple plans to go in-house on graphics tech too resulting in a 70% stock value decrease for IT.
According to Timothy Arcuri, analyst with Cowen and Company, all three of Apple's 2018 iPhone models will feature 3GB of RAM.
"In terms of memory/storage configuration, all three models will likely adopt 3GB RAM; the 4.7”/5.5” will likely have the same storage options as the current iPhone 7/7+ in 32/128/256GB while the 5.8” model looks to be only offered in two memory configurations: 64GB and 256GB," he said in a research note to investors. The conclusions were apparently drawn from analysis of Apple's supply chain.
Additionally, Arcuri said that Apple's 5.8in premium model - the one with the OLED display - will feature "two packs of batteries," which will give it "extended battery life". It's not clear precisely what is meant by this comment, however.
According to reports, the iPhone 8 may not feature a "wrap-around" display as previously rumoured. It's claimed Apple may instead opt for a traditional flat display panel, though still using OLED technology. This info comes via Macotakara, which states that the "iPhone Edition", as they call it, has had a final design picked and it doesn't include a curved screen. The design reportedly still uses the glass sandwich on a metal frame style of construction.
At the same time, sources speaking to Bloomberg allegedly said the same thing - the design is now final, and there's no curved screen. However, the report adds that it may feature a dual-sensor front-facing selfie camera.
New details from prominent tipster Sonny Dickson suggest the iPhone 8 could feature a rear-mounted Touch ID fingerprint scanner in a similar vein to the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Google Pixel. The move may have something to do with the above reports regarding Apple settling on a flat OLED display, and in addition, it's understood Samsung wanted to put its fingerprint scanner under the display glass, but couldn't pull it off satisfactorily; possibly Apple has encountered similar issues.
The evidence comes in the form of a set of schematics showing the handset's rear panel, supplied by Dickson; there's a clear circular hole underneath the Apple logo which is just about the right size for Touch ID and far too low on the bodywork for a camera. Besides which, the camera port is clearly visible as a lozenge shape in the upper portion of the casing.
According to a report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-chi Kuo, supply of the iPhone 8's OLED panels may struggle to meet initial demand, the result of which could see the beginning of production pushed back by several months.
In a note to investors, Kuo described "severe" OLED shortages having an impact on Apple's production plans. This means Apple may not have sufficient units ready in time for the usual August or September launch, and the firm may have to delay launching the hotly-anticipated 10th Anniversary model flagship back until October or November. Indeed, in a worst case scenario we may not see the iPhone 8 available widely until Q1 2018.
However, the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus should still arrive in the usual September slot inside 2017, as the supply issues are entirely for the iPhone 8 and its OLED screen; both the iPhone 7s models will not use OLED. Regardless, this situation could be very bad for Apple. The iPhone 7 series didn't sell quite so well due to being too similar to the iPhone 6s series, and analysts fear sales could further decline. In light of the shortages and delays, KGI has changed its estimates from an expected 110 million units sales in the second half of 2017 down to 80-90 million.
Further to the above, yet more talk on the rumour mill wire suggests its not looking good for anyone waiting for the iPhone 8 to arrive this year...
The word comes via FudZilla, reporting on comments made by alleged Foxconn insiders - Foxconn, you may recall, is one of Apple's main manufacturing partners in China. According to these tipsters, Apple has only placed orders for the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus, it hasn't placed any orders, with Foxconn at least, for iPhone 8 production.
" The source also goes on to explain that packaging materials for the new iPhones should start arriving at Foxconn in the last week of June. These could hold extra info on the matter," reports GSMArena.
And now the iPhone 8 has shown up in Geekbench benchmark results, or at least that's the story - such things can be fabricated, so we suggest taking this with a few grains of sodium. Nevertheless, the results, which are shown by way of a screenshot from China, show the iPhone 8 on Geekbench 4.0 with some astounding performance figures.
In single-core testing it scored 4,537, while multi-core racked up 8,975. These are, quite frankly, rather astounding results, making them all the more fishy. Compared, for example, with the Galaxy S8+'s scores of 1,986 and 6,447 respectively - and that phone currently tops the scoreboard against
pretty much everything else. The iPhone 8 is apparently twice as fast on the single-core score alone.
Giving them the benefit of the doubt for a moment, these results show a 30% uplift in single-core performance from the iPhone 7 and a 58% improvement on the multi-core. It's also 41% faster on multi-core than the Galaxy S8.
Other fishy details included in the benchmark results are an odd display resolution of 2,800x1,242 pixels, which means a display aspect ratio of 20.2:9 or 2.25:1, bigger than the Galaxy S8 and LG G6. The A11 processor specs are also shown as a 2.74 GHz quad-core CPU, and 128KB of L1 cache, which means a 17% increase in CPU clockspeed on the iPhone 7.
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Design will be a key factor, I believe, as will overall performance and usability.
During Apple’s recent earnings call, Tim Cook discussed, rather vaguely, what we can expect from future iPhones from Apple.
“I think the smartphone is still in the early innings of the game,” the 56-year-old Apple CEO told investors during the earnings call. “I think there’s lots more to do. Every year, I think it becomes more important to people’s lives, there’s more things people are doing with it.”
He also talked about using Siri for automating things in his home.
“Now, when I say ‘Good Morning’ to Siri, my house lights come on and my coffee starts brewing. When I go to the living room to relax in the evening, I use Siri to adjust the lighting and turn on the fireplace,” he revealed.
“And when I leave the house, a simple tap of my iPhone turns the lights off, adjusts the thermostat down, and locks the doors.
“When I return to my house in the evening as I’m near my home, the house prepares itself for my arrival automatically by using a simple geofence.”
Let's now drill down into what will make the iPhone 8 tick and attempt to paint a picture of what we'll see launched later on this year.
iPhone 8 Release Date, Specs & Prices: iPhone 8 Release Date – When Can You Buy It?
This is one thing you can almost set your watch by: Apple ALWAYS launches its iPhones inside the last quarter of the year – either very late Q3 or early Q4.
This means the handsets are available in store for the busiest shopping period of the year in the run up to Christmas.
However, multiple sources are now claiming that Apple’s iPhone 8 – the one you’ll want – will be delayed this year. It won’t be a massive delay; most sources are suggesting a couple of weeks after the release of the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus which would mean it’d land in stores during late-October, early November.
Drexel Hamilton analyst Brian White is the source of this latest release date info. The analyst discussed the delays and some of the iPhone’s exciting features in a note to investors, which was snapped up by BGR.
“First off, our smartphone contact believes the 3D sensing technology and OLED displays will only be offered with the 5.8-inch iPhone 8,” White wrote in a note to clients. “However, our contact strongly believes the 5.8-inch iPhone 8 will be delayed by several weeks due to challenges around the 3D sensing technology but still in time for the December holidays. This is not the first time that we have heard about a potential delay with a new iPhone; however, our contact was so emphatic about the delay that we are taking this data point more seriously. Since it is only April, this situation could improve.”
The analyst added, “Essentially, our contact believes customers will be able to pre-order the new 5.8-inch iPhone 8 along with the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 8 in September; however, the 5.8-inch iPhone 8 will not be available for delivery until several weeks later. The 3D sensing capability is important to Apple and has a host of use cases outside of AR. For example, 3D sensing will allow a user to open their iPhone with their face in a secure manner (cannot be tricked with a photo) and approve payment on Apple Pay, while potentially negating the need for proximity sensors that are used when holding the iPhone near one’s ear. Our contact believes approximately half of the new iPhone 8 shipment volume will go toward the 5.8-inch version.”
Apple does a keynote, usually a big affair with celebrities and plenty of back-slapping, and then launches the new iPhones a week or so later.
This year should be no different.
There will also be no update to the iPhone SE, either. So do not expect to see any iPhones released before the very end of 2017.
As for price? There’ll be three handsets, apparently – standard, Plus and Pro.
Expect to pay well over a $1000 for the full-spec Pro model.
In addition to this sales of the iPhone 8 are expected to be enormous. Like, way higher than normal. Kate Huberty – an analyst at Morgan Stanley – reckons the markets aren’t being anyway near bullish enough about the iPhone 8.
Huberty reckons unit sales will wise by 20% in 2018, off the back of the iPhone 8. Current projections peg growth at 10%, so Huberty is being especially bullish with her predictions.
“We do not think the super cycle is fully appreciated,” Huberty told CNBC PRO in an exclusive interview. “What we expect in September is a phone that has significant advancements in technology: OLED screens, 3-D sensors, wireless charging [and] likely some more advanced software in the area of artificial intelligence.”
iPhone 8 Release Date, Specs & Prices: iPhone 8 Design
What’s clear from the state of play at the close of 2016 is that Apple is now in the process of building next year’s iPhones. The company is sourcing OLED panels from a variety of sources and word on the street suggests the company will include said OLED panel inside only one of the new iPhones – most likely the Pro model, which also happens to be the most expensive.
"A new report from South Korean news site The Investor says Samsung Display is going forward with its plans to expand its OLED production," reports BGR.
"The company will spend 10 trillion won ($8.9 billion) this year alone on the expansion."
It added: "Apple’s decision to move to OLED technology is likely what motivated Samsung Display to go ahead with this massive investment. Apple still continues to set the tone in the mobile market, and other phone makers are expected to follow its “lead” in the near future. Samsung, however, has been using OLED screens in its Galaxy-branded handsets for years, while Apple pushed LCD technology to its limits in its iPhones."
Further to this, a report from Nikkei claims to have heard from industry insider sources "familiar with iPhone design" who say that Apple has ordered 70 million OLED panels from Samsung's display production arm. Allegedly these panels are destined for the iPhone 8. The report also adds that Samsung will be the sole supplier for Apple's OLED screens in 2017, though it's thought that in the future Apple may try to shift its reliance away from Samsung as it has done with other components such as processor chips.
The rumours are all pretty solid at present, but they can be broken down into a series of simple points. Below are all the major changes expected to feature inside Apple’s 2017 iPhone 8 series of handsets:
Brand new design; likely all-touch frontage with zero bezels, curved display also likely.
A11 Chipset – this will be ultra-powerful and very efficient.
Big Updates To iPhone 7 Plus’ Dual-Lens Camera.
The Removal of the Home Key – controversial, but very likely.
Higher Display Resolutions (Hopefully across the board)
A New Pro Model iPhone – This will be the true flagship
Big Improvements To Standard iPhone 8 Model: 1080p Display, Improved Imaging.
Bigger Battery Life: iPhone 8 Pro will likely feature the biggest battery ever placed inside an iPhone
We've heard a lot of talk in the last six months or so about Apple's iPhone 8 being an "all glass" or clear ceramic handset, fashioned from curved, transparent bodywork, possibly in a similar shape to the iPhone 4S; reports have differed, however, on whether or not it will feature a metal supportive frame.
Logic says probably yes, and revered sage of Apple-based predictions, Ming-chi Kuo (of KGI Securities) has previously suggested that there will indeed be a metal frame for the iPhone 8, made from stainless steel, no less.
Details published by ETNews reiterate, in line with earlier reports, that of all the talked about features aboard the rumoured iPhone 8 not many are 100% set in stone, however, the firm is allegedly committed to a 5in display (or thereabouts), a dual-sensor primary camera on the rear, and wireless charging. The latter feature from that short list has been floating around in analysts thoughts as something of a complicated one, due to the way in which a metal body can interfere with wireless charging. But apparently Apple is considering a rather nifty workaround to make it a reality by teaming up with Chinese firm Biel Crystal on a "thermoformed" glass bodyshell. Or the back panel, at least.
Biel already produces plenty of glass for both Samsung and Apple, including the sapphire glass for Apple's camera lenses. According to the report, Biel is providing chassis samples to Apple for iPhone prototypes; these may become part of the iPhone 8. Thermoforming is the technique already in use on the Samsung Galaxy S7 EDGE's curved glass display; it's made when a piece of glass is placed between two molds and heated to 800 degrees Celsius; it's then pressed into shape.
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On a similar note, analyst Ming-chi Kuo has published a research note in which he claims the iPhone 8 will be more attractive than the Galaxy S8. He says the Galaxy S8 "lacks sufficiently attractive selling points," although his assertions seem a bit odd as they mainly focus on the importance of OLED display technology; something Samsung already has nailed down to a fine art.
Another research note from analyst Ming-chi Kuo sheds a bit more light on the iPhone 8 design and display features. According to his latest report, the iPhone 8 will be about the same size as the now standard 4.7in iPhone model but will incorporate a much larger 5.15in OLED display panel with and edge-to-edge design.
However, Kuo adds that it won't be truly "edgeless" as it will have ultra-thin bezels around every edge; it'll still look like it's mostly display though. Most interestingly, Kuo seems to have revealed how Apple will tackle the removal of the physical Home key, a question that had left many scratching their chins.
Allegedly, the display will feature a dedicated "function area" towards the bottom of the display, in much the same place where the Home key would reside. There's speculation that this could function similarly to the MacBook Pro's Touch Bar, and could incorporate pressure-sensitive 3D Touch contextual menus based on how hard the user pushes the screen.
Kuo adds that the iPhone 8 "will come with other biometric technologies that replace the current fingerprint recognition technology," but doesn't specify what these might be. We can hazard a guess at an iris scanner, or it could mean a different kind of fingerprint scanner as several different types have been rumoured to allow functionality underneath the display glass, one design could use ultrasonic waves, for example.
According to mid-February reports, there will be some key differences between the iPhone 7s and the 5.8in OLED display-equipped iPhone 8, apart from just the screen tech, that is. DigiTimes, citing its usual anonymous sources "from the upstream supply chain" states that the iPhone 8 will feature a glass sandwich design with a stainless steel metal framework.
Reportedly the stainless steel frames will be made by Foxconn and Jabil Circuit, and the OLED display is made by Samsung. Meanwhile, the 4.7in iPhone 7s and 5.5in iPhone 7s Plus will keep the existing aluminium alloy frame build, courtesy of Catcher Technology; these will use Apple's existing IPS LCD "Retina" display technology.
Another report from Benzinga reveals a note to investors from Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski, which states the iPhone 8 will have a major focus on Augmented Reality (AR) support. It's understood from previous statements by Apple's CEO Tim Cook that the firm is more interested in AR than Virtual Reality (VR). Corroborating reports suggest that Apple is working closely with 3D sense tech firm Lumentum.
As of January 10, reports are corroborating with Kuo's analysis; Digitimes claims to have heard from sources which state that US firm Jabil will supply stainless steel frame components for Apple's 2017 flagship; interestingly, the last time Apple used a stainless steel frame was indeed on the iPhone 4S, which may add further weight to the idea of an iPhone 4S inspired design made mostly from curved glass.
This time, the steel frames will be produced differently, instead of being milled by a CNC machine, the 2017 frames will be forged, where the steel is pressed into the desired shape. Stainless steel will potentially make the iPhone 7 more durable than recent aluminium-framed models, but it will also be more expensive to produce, a cost that is sure to be passed on to consumers. However, the forging of stainless steel is cheaper than the CNC milling process, an estimated saving of around 30%-50%.
"The next-generation iPhone is expected to abandon its conventional aluminum back cover design and will adopt a new design using two reinforced glass panes and a metal frame in the middle," the sources said.
"The metal bezel will be made of stainless steel using a forging process to enhance its sturdiness and reduce costs and manufacturing time."
New details suggest that Apple's next iPhone could feature a dedicated laser sensor designed to allow digital facial recognition as well.
Given the above news about there being possible iPhone 7s AND iPhone 8 launches inside 2017, it's not clear which model might have this feature as the source does not specify. The info comes via a research note by analysts at Cowen and Company, which states one of Apple's forthcoming devices will have "some form of facial/gesture recognition".
The note adds that the feature will be "supported by a new laser sensor and an infrared sensor mounted near the front-facing camera," it also claims that the handset will "finally include wireless charging".
Apple's acquisition of infrared sensor firm Primesense in 2013 means the iPhone creator definitely has access to the kind of technology required for such a feature. What's more, it makes a lot of sense that Apple will be starting to integrate it into its devices, as CEO Tim Cook has made no bones about the fact that Augmented Reality (AR) is going to be a big focus in the future, and the use of infrared sensors, facial recognition, and gesture control, would all be important building blocks of this.
The research note describes a "feature-rich launch with three models" for 2017, outlining a new 5.8in iPhone alongside updates to the existing 4.7in and 5.5in models. The report suggests the 5.8in phone will use OLED display technology in a "wraparound" setup with the TouchID fingerprint scanner under the screen glass; all of this we've heard before of course.
Additionally, the note says one of the handsets may be called the "iPhone 10" or "iPhone X". It alleges 2017's Apple launches could create an upgrade "supercycle" due to the major advances in technology over existing models.
In order to get a better understanding of what Apple’s iPhone 8 handset might look like a designer, one Handy Abovergleich, has designed to create a series of mock-ups depicting all the current rumours surrounding Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8 handsets.
As you can see below, the iPhone 8 – if the rumours are true – would look positively stunning. Curved panels, all-display frontages and smooth back plates give the handset a decidedly Samsung-like look and feel.
But this shouldn’t come as surprise; Samsung has been the one pushing design boundaries in recent times, not Apple.
The last time Apple did anything drastic with its iPhone was way back when it launched the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Since then the phones have followed the same design language. This year’s handsets, Apple’s 10th anniversary handsets, need to be different.
iPhone 8: AR Tech Used By Apple Inside iPhone 8 Will Lead To “Paradigm Shift”
Apple’s always maintained that AR is better than VR. Tim Cook has been saying this for years. But so far we’ve seen little from the company in the arena of either.
In the run up to the launch of the iPhone 8, rumours fly around at a crazy rate. Some stack up, like the removal of the Home button, while others feel a little less realistic.
Gene Munster’s comments about Apple’s AR plans for the iPhone 8 feel a little more like the latter. Who is Gene Munster, you ask? He’s an analyst, a fairly well known one too, though he’s must known for pushing the idea that Apple will one day release an HDTV.
Munster says AR will be the foundation of Apple’s iPhone 8. Not only that but the technology Apple is using is so sophisticated it will lead to a “paradigm shift” in the mobile space.
Furthermore, Bloomberg has also chimed in on this AR rumour. According to Bloomberg’s sources, Apple has hundreds of engineers working on AR for the iPhone with a view to one day releasing a pair of AR glasses.
“One of the features Apple is exploring is the ability to take a picture and then change the depth of the photograph or the depth of specific objects in the picture later; another would isolate an object in the image, such as a person’s head, and allow it to be tilted 180 degrees. A different feature in development would use augmented reality to place virtual effects and objects on a person, much the way Snapchat works. […] Apple may choose to not roll out these features, but such additions are an up-and-coming trend in the phone business,” said the report.
These “discrete” AR devices are still at least 12 months away, but some of the nascent AR technology – or, the foundation of which it will be built upon – could feature inside Apple’s iPhone 8 handset.
Apple has hinted at its preference for AR many times in the past, but could we see it actually included inside this year’s iPhone release? I’m kind of skeptical, as we often here about “things” Apple is “working” on only to discover that they take around five years to actually appear.
The dual-lens camera and removal of the home button are two excellent examples of this type of thing being talked about long before they became a reality. Ditto the iPad Pro (10 points if you remember the iPad Maxi rumours).
Apple has ex-Google Glass, Oculus and HoloLens engineers working on it’s AR platform, so it’s not a question of whether Apple is doing something AR-related for iPhone – it’s happening right now.
The only real question is when we get to see it?
Personally, I’d love to see something like this announced during the iPhone keynote inside Q4. It’d be like Apple switching to 64-bit, taking the industry by surprise, and forcing nearly every other player in the space to rethink their mobile strategy all over again.
iPhone 8 Battery: Bigger. Better. Longer Lasting
How long a phone lasts is ALWAYS a big deal. Apple’s iPhones, particularly the larger, plus models, have consistently been pretty good with battery performance but Apple’s iPhone 8 will take things a step further.
According to reports, the iPhone 8 will feature the biggest battery ever placed inside an iPhone. The battery will reportedly be a 2700mAh setup and this will bring the battery performance of Apple’s smaller iPhone back inline with its larger counterparts.
'Thanks to stacked SLP, we expect the OLED iPhone to have similar dimensions to a 4.7' TFT-LCD iPhone, and have comparable battery capacity (equipped with around 2,700 mAh L-shaped 2-cell battery pack) to a 5.5' TFT-LCD iPhone,” said analyst Ming-Chi Kuo
He added: “The battery life of the OLED iPhone could be better than that of the 5.5' TFT-LCD model as OLED panels are more energy-efficient than their TFT-LCD counterparts.”
One of the three rumoured iPhone 8 handsets will also feature wireless charging capabilities. And, yes, it will almost certainly be the most expensive model.
Other rumoured features, according to Mail Online, include:
Dual-lens 3D camera
Augmented reality to generate real-time views of surroundings
Curved glass casing - Plastic OLED screen
Wireless charging
A folding element
New 5 inch (12.7 centimeter) and 5.8 inch (14.7 centimeter) model, which will have a wraparound OLED screen
5.8 inch will be designed with the Touch ID finger print sensor 'under the glass and in the active display area' - A new 'pure white' model
Aluminum back will be replaced with two reinforced glass panes and a metal frame in the middle
Facial recognition
iPhone 8 Release Date, Specs & Prices: iPhone 8 Display Technology – Curved OLED Panels?
We keep hearing news to the effect that next year, 2017, will be the year of OLED displays, that is to say the year in which OLED screens really take over from LCD once and for all as the mainstream display type for smartphones. There are a number of manufacturers who've been adopting OLED displays in the last 12-18 months, but there are a few major landmarks on the horizon for things really kicking into a higher gear.
Most notably 2017's iPhone family is strongly rumoured to be adopting OLED following Apple's use of LCD for many years. Meanwhile, firms with their own OLED production businesses, including LG and Samsung, are reportedly investing billions into their facilities and technology, partly to meet what is percevied to be a growing demand generally in the months and years ahead, but also to provide panels specifically for Apple's products.
On top of this, there is increasing innovation in the sector. Samsung's latest Super AMOLED panels seen aboard the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 EDGE have been widely praised as the "best" smartphone display panels ever produced thanks to much investment in time and money into honing the technology to this point.
Industry leading display analysts at DisplayMate undertook an in-depth investigation into the S7 series' Super AMOLED tech and found it to outperform rival offerings in all areas, with the highest performance for brightness, sunlight readability, most accurate colour gamut and much more. In case you were still in any doubt about why OLED can often be a superior option to the now-aging LCD, Samsung has released an official comparison video demonstrating the two technologies in competition.
he positive properties of OLED have been known for some time, but it has taken a while not only for the tech to become this finely configured, but also for manufacturing practices to reach a point where it is no longer significantly more expensive than LCD; this is repeatedly stated as one of the main reasons LCD has remained preferable for so long, it has been cheaper and easier to source. Until now.
LG has also confirmed that it too will be upping its investment in OLED display technology from here on out. And the reason? Simple: demand for this type of display will increase during the second half of 2016 -- and the reason for this is Apple -- and other players -- switching to OLED display panals in late-2016 and 2017.
"It's true that we were late in OLED investment for smaller electronics devices compared to that of televisions. It's undeniable that flexible OLEDs are now the mega-trend in the mobile segment and we will have to embrace that," said Han Sang Beom, chief executive officer of LG Display. "We can't help but rely on LCDs for the time being because our revenue from OLEDs still accounts for less than 10%. We've never thought about giving up LCD, but we are considering gradually closing the older generation fabs."
The final big indicator of the rise of OLED going forward is another innovation point - Samsung's flexible OLED displays seem to have been well-received with regards to uptake of its curved (yet fixed) EDGE display panels; multple reports say that the Galaxy S7 EDGE outsold its flat-screened counterpart by quite a margin. In addition, 2017 is expected to see the commercial launch of the industry's and Samsung's first true folding and flexible OLED smartphone as the Samsung Galaxy X, this is the kind of innovation that is sure to spawn a mass of imitators, not least because we know many other firms including LG are also working on flexible OLED tech of their own.
It's been established for a little while now that the next iPhone, the iPhone 8, as it may be called, will have at least one high-end variant equipped with an edge-to-edge, wrap-around curved OLED display. And it goes without saying that this will be similar in style to Samsung's Galaxy EDGE curved OLED design, which brings the display curving round the edges of two sides of the phone.
Samsung has been using this design for a couple of generations now, but although there is some functionality built-in, it is primarily an aesthetic design feature.
Three MAJOR Benefits of OLED Display
OLEDs produce deeper blacks and have a wider gamut array, and because they’re not backlit they possess higher contrast ratios. In addition to this, refresh rates are WAY faster than what you’ll come across on LCD/LED setups. Viewing angles are also better, meaning you can pretty much see exactly what’s happening on the screen even when standing at 90 degrees.
Plastic is lighter and more durable than glass. OLEDs are made from plastics and are therefore A LOT lighter and less prone to shattering than their LED/LCD counterparts. This is how Samsung and LG is able to make curved phones and HDTVs.
OLED displays used to be pricy and this was because of the production costs associated with building them. This is why OLED TVs are insanely expensive these days. However, once new production capabilities are scaled up, something that is happening now, the cost of producing OLED displays will drop dramatically, meaning OLED TVs will be cheaper than LED ones by 2017/18. Of course it is hoped this cost saving will also transfer into smartphones.
Make no mistake: this is Apple blatantly following Samsung’s lead, just as it did with the Apple Pencil, but that’s no bad thing. If something’s a good idea or looks good then it’s fair game – at least in my book. But will Apple’s rendition differ from Samsung’s? A freshly unearthed patent filed on May 19 2016 by the iPhone maker would appear to confirm it has bigger plans for this feature than Samsung – with some new functional capabilities detailed.
Apple Insider picked up the patent details, with the patent filing being titled "Electronic Devices With Display and Touch Sensor Structures". As expected, the design described has a flexible OLED display panel which curves around both lateral edges of the device, the patent explains this curved surface could display information, as it does on Samsung's devices.
However, it goes on to add an explanation for functional touch features as well.
It can be challenging to gather touch input from a user and to display images for a user efficiently."
"For example, when a user supplies touch input to a touch screen display, the user’s hand may block images that are being displayed on the display. Buttons and other input devices may be used to gather input from a user, but this type of input device may not be as convenient and versatile as a touch sensor. Displays are sometimes not visible from certain directions and may be smaller than desired."
Apple details a possible idea for virtual control keys embedded in the curved display edges, some examples would be the volume rocker, mute key, and standby mode, but there are numerous other functions which could also be assigned their own software key. Even application shortcuts are plausible.
"Touch input on sidewalls in device 10 may be used as a control for a camera (e.g., a virtual shutter button input), may be used as input in other virtual button scenarios, may be used in implementing a volume slider button or a slider button for controlling other device operations (e.g., screen brightness, color settings, contrast settings, etc.)"
Note that this concept has been entertained in the past, though one criticism is the implementation of control keys on a curved edge surface, however, the patent explains that the wrap-around edges do not necessarily need to be curved; the OLED panel and covering glass could be a number of shapes, potentially squared-off would make grip and control of these software keys easier, though would detract from the alleged "curved glass" aesthetic Apple is apparently going for.
The patent also hints at materials we've previously heard mentioned for this kind of hardware, including Zirconia ceramic and Sapphire glass.
A new report out of Korea claims the Apple iPhone OLED model will "all be curved", which is being interpreted as meaning it will feature a curved design across most of its exterior surfaces - most, not all, of course, as that would be silly; that would be a sphere.
"The OLED version of the new iPhone will all be curved as Apple ordered all plastic OLED - not glass - from Samsung Display. Samsung is capable of supplying a little less than 100 million units of curved OLED displays to Apple," said the report from The Korea Herald.
The mention of a plastic substrate means these are flexible OLED panel which will allow Apple to bend them into the curved bodywork shape it requires. Some of the info is a little shaky though, the source suggests Apple could implement touch controls along the phone's curved eges - a rumour we've heard before - but then immediately seems to imply that it might not happen at all.
"The upcoming iPhone may use new sensing technology, which enables the phone to respond when users touch any side of the device. But, Apple may not adopt this technology."
Right then. Good to know...I guess?
iPhone 8 Release Date, Specs & Prices: iPhone 8 Specs & Hardware
Apple is already prepping for the iPhone 8. We know this. But now we're starting to get quite a bit of information through about the handset's core, internal specs. According to reports the A11 chipset inside the iPhone 8 will be based on a 10nm process and will be built by Apple's long-standing partner, TSMC.
Here's the latest from 9to5Mac:
"Digitimes is reporting that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has begun to ‘tape out’ the A11 chip expected to power the 2017-model iPhone. Taping out is the point at which the initial design is finalized and ready to create the photomask that will be used for manufacture."
It added: "There is, though, still some way to go before the chip makes it into production. The A11 is based on a 10-nanometer process, which TSMC is still working on. The company expects its 10nm process to be certified in the final quarter of this year, to deliver samples to Apple in the first quarter of 2017 and to begin production the following quarter."
ALL iPhone 7s and iPhone 8 units will share the same CPU, specifically Apple’s new A11 chipset, according to DigiTimes. Normally, like with its iPad lineup, Apple likes to give its Pro models a slight edge with an X variant of its A-Series CPU.
This will not be the case with the iPhone 7s and iPhone 8, however, so that’s potentially good news for users that don’t opt for the costly iPhone 8. The report also claims that mass production of the A11 chipset will commence in April with the aim of mass producing 50 million A11 chipsets for July.
All in, Apple will produce around 100 million A11 chipsets before the close of 2017.
“The A11 chips are built on a 10nm FinFET process,” reports BGR, “packing wafer-level integrated fan-out (InFO) packaging technology. That sounds complicated, but the bottom line is that it will result is a smaller chip ready to offer better performance while utilizing less energy.”
There have already been some rumours in circulation that the Galaxy S8 could pack up to 8GB of RAM onboard, but as of January 9 major memory manufacturer SK Hynix has announced its new "LPDDR4X" RAM chip which some sources say may be the one Samsung uses in its 2017 flagship.
The architecture uses two 8 Gigabit RAM modules stacked in a dual-channel configuration, equalling 64 Gigabits, aka 8GB of DRAM. The setup takes up 30% less space inside the phone shell than current LPDDR4 memory while also being 20% more battery efficient, according to SK Hynix.
Korean publication The Investor states that the chip may be destined for both Apple and Samsung's 2017 flagships; "SK hynix’s new memory chip is expected to be used in Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Apple’s iPhone 8, which are forecast to be released in April and September, respectively, this year."
One area where Apple needs to make some big strides is to do with Siri. Apple might have been the first out the blocks with a commercial, phone-based digital assistant but Siri, despite Apple’s claims, is a long way behind the competition.
Amazon’s Alexa has now set the bar extremely high. Samsung will counter with its reportedly ultra-clever Bixby AI aboard the Galaxy S8 inside Q1 and this means Siri will have to follow suit. Plans are afoot, however, to bolster Siri’s capabilities, as noted by BGR.
“Apple is working on an ‘enhanced’ version of its Siri virtual assistant for its next generation of iPhone devices.”
Apple’s acquisition of machine learning and AI startup Turi last August will apparently help the company achieve this, bridging the current gap between Siri and other, more potent Ads like Cortana and Alexa.
iPhone 8 Release Date, Specs & Prices: iOS 11 – Expect BIG Things...
Apple releases a brand new build of its iOS platform every year and in 2017 it will be the turn of iOS 11.
This update will begin testing early in inside Q2 before getting a gold-standard release during Q3/Q4 after its official unveiling at Apple’s WWDC event.
For the last couple of editions, Apple has pushed out developer previews of iOS, giving Apple fans and developers early access to what will eventually become the defacto operating system for the proceeding 12 months after release.
Design is always one area where Apple improves things; another, is speed and performance. But I think the main area Apple will be focussing on this year is Siri.
Why? Simple: look at what Microsoft, Google and Amazon are doing in the AI space. Apple needs to counter the advancements made by Microsoft and Amazon in particular by making Siri smarter, more useful and better integrated inside a range of products.
AI will be the biggest tech trend of the next day, make no mistake about it. AI will start showing up in HDTVs, your PCs, your cars and even inside your homes. We’re only just dipping our toes in the water of what's possible with AI and we expect Apple to come back with a vastly superior Siri AI in 2017.
For me, this is the main area where I’d like to see Apple make some advancements with its software. After using Amazon Echo, Siri just feels old, remedial and not at all useful.
iPhone 8 Release Date, Specs & Prices: iPhone 8 Camera – Updates, Specs & New Features
The iPhone 7 Plus’ dual-lens camera is arguably the biggest thing to come out of Apple’s entire launch. The addition of a new CPUs, more memory and waterproofing, as well as bringing OIS to the standard iPhone 7 model are nice moves, but the headline grabbing feature was the dual-lens camera.
And like most things Apple: in order to get access to it you have to pay a big premium. In this respect, the dual-lens camera is an exclusive to the iPhone 7 plus and that is not going to change anytime soon, either.
According to reports, Apple will keep the dual-lens camera a “Plus exclusive” for 2017’s iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, providing that’s what the handsets are actually called.
Check out this research note obtained by Mac Rumors, which cites KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo:
“While an attractive addition for avid picture takers and professional photographers, the iPhone 7 Plus dual-camera is not a mass-market killer application yet. Along with its high cost (estimated at over US$30-40) and the necessity for Apple to enhance the added value of high-end iPhone models, we expect only high-end new iPhone models (30-40% of them) to have a dual-camera next year.”
The next update to Apple’s camera will concern the iPhone 8’s dual-lens camera; Apple will add OIS to both lens, apparently. A move that would add in more detail and help produce significantly better shots.
“We believe the focus of the dual-camera upgrade will be equipping telephoto CCM with OIS CCM, so as to significantly enhance optical and digital zoom quality,” Kuo wrote.
As of November 18, Kuo has a brand new research note issued to investors which gives further details of the next iPhone's camera spec and features. According a report on the note via MacRumors, the iPhone 8 will feature "dual-optical image stabilisation."
The current iPhone 7 Plus dual-camera sensor only features optical stabilisation (OIS) in one of its two lenses; that's the wide-angle lens. Kuo's note suggests the other lens, a telephoto lens, will also be upgraded to include its own OIS module.
"We believe Apple will add OIS function to the telephoto CCM in order to enhance the selling points of next year’s new iPhone," said Kuo's note.
"We think photo quality and optical zoom range may both improve as a result. We expect the telephoto lens will be redesigned to support OIS in the telephoto CCM, with challenges likely coming from: (1) the need to increase the image circle of the telephoto lens, which will lead to longer calibration time and a more complex assembly processes; and (2) a redesign of the telephoto lens, as an increased image circle will result in degraded photo quality around the corners."
As per earlier reports, it's believed that the 4.7in iPhone 8 will not feature a dual-camera, meaning the 5.5in iPhone 8 Plus model and the supposed third premium model with curved edge-to-edge OLED display will both feature dual-camera tech, though whether both feature the dual-OIS remains to be seen.
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