iPhone 8 Price And Rumors: AR Capabilities, Plastic Wraparound OLED Display, And A Brutal Price
The iPhone 8 is still a long way away, but rumors about the device have already begun pouring in. While speculations are contrasting so far, the general consensus about the device is that Apple’s upcoming flagship smartphone for 2017 would finally be a revolution rather than evolution. With numerous rumored features such as enhanced AR capabilities and unique features such as a wraparound plastic OLED panel, it seems like Apple is giving it all to ensure that its upcoming flagship phone would be a device that would prove to be a dominant force in the smartphone industry.
The latest rumors about the iPhone 8 are very encouraging, with notable tech strategist Robert Scoble stating on a Facebook post that Apple’s next device would probably be equipped with a unique AR component that would allow virtual holograms to be superimposed on real-life objects when viewed through the smartphone. According to the tech strategist, the iPhone 8 would most likely be a high-powered device that would be powerful enough to run a full-blown AR headset.
“The next iPhone will be, I am told, a clear piece of glass (er, Gorilla Glass sandwich with other polycarbonates for being pretty shatter resistant if dropped) with a next-generation OLED screen (I have several sources confirming this). You pop it into a headset which has eye sensors on it, which enables the next iPhone to have a higher apparent frame rate and polygon count than a PC with a Nvidia 1080 card in it.”
While the mention of a “clear” iPhone could simply refer to a powerful camera and a bezel-less display, the premise of Apple’s next flagship device being an AR powerhouse is something that could definitely work in Apple’s favor. So far, smartphones have only been able to provide users with a very basic form of VR technology, such as Samsung’s S Series and the Galaxy Gear VR. If Scoble’s statements prove true, the iPhone 8 might become the first mobile device to offer console-grade AR/VR to portable devices. This, of course, would most likely trigger a revolution in mobile technology.
As for the iPhone 8’s design, the latest rumors point to Apple releasing three variants of its flagship smartphone next year, which would be comprised of a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch device that would be called the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, and a top-tier, premium 5.8-inch premium handset that would carry the iPhone 8 moniker. The names of the devices are all tentative at this point, of course, but the consensus among current speculations point to a three-pronged iPhone release in 2017.
What is particularly interesting about the rumors revolving around the top-tier iPhone 8 is the fact that it would allegedly be utilizing a unique form of OLED panel. A Korea Herald report stated that unlike Samsung’s Edge displays, the iPhone 8 is rumored to feature a wraparound OLED panel that is encased in plastic. Doing so would make the device a lot more durable and resistant to cracking, which is one of the biggest problems that curved glass OLED panels face, such as those found in the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. If Apple does manage to design curved OLED screens that are extremely resistant to cracking, it would most likely have a winning device on its hands.
These latest rumors actually run parallel to speculations that the iPhone 8 would feature an all-glass design. While the idea of an all-glass iPhone meant that Apple’s next flagship would be visually stunning, longtime iPhone users have expressed their reservations about the possible durability issues that would be associated with the smartphone’s design. By utilizing plastic instead, Apple would be able to fully address the possible durability issues of the iPhone 8 while managing to maintain its revolutionary, futuristic look.
One thing that has so far been prevalent among iPhone 8 rumors, however, is the idea that the next flagship from the Cupertino-based giant would most likely be more expensive than its current offerings. While the alleged iPhone 7S and 7S Plus would probably follow the same pricing as the tech giant’s current generation handsets, the top-tier, OLED-equipped iPhone 8 is speculated to be priced far above the device’s usual price range. No details about the iPhone 8’s price have been released as of date, but some rumors have stated that the halo device would be priced somewhere in the $1000-$1200 range.
Considering how important the iPhone 8 is to Apple, however, there is no doubt that the device would be a massive hit regardless of its price. Its features are definitely revolutionary, and it carries practically all the hard work the tech giant has done over the last few years. The iPhone 7 was never meant to be a revolutionary smartphone, but its successor definitely is. While most of the iPhone 8 exists only in rumors for now, fans of the iconic device are already waiting eagerly for the next big leak about Apple’s most defining handset yet.
[Featured Image by Zapp2Photo/Shutterstock]
