An announcement and release date for the iPhone 8 and iOS 11 could come much sooner than we expected. Apple announces WWDC17 dates this June, and big news is sure in store.
Speculations have been abundant for the iPhone 8 since 2017 opened and so much is expected from this newest iPhone. We heard about the radical design changes coming for the iPhone, and in fact, we have unearthed some papers and patent filings that prove Apple has a revolutionary design being developed behind the curtains. We also heard about the impending goodbye of the Touch ID and got an interesting peak at facial recognition and iris scanning . We have heard about the iPhone 8 completely ditching the wires and further improving its waterproof features.
But all of these are just details. What we really want to know, and what we really have to know is: when is this all coming?
We have heard many reports about the upcoming features of the iPhone 8 via qualified analysts and insiders, and a lot of reports are pegging the release date of the iPhone 8 around September. It is, in fact, logical to expect a September release date since the last iPhone 7, iPhone 6, and iPhone 5 all had a September release date.
But in the geekier nooks and crannies of the Internet, there are speculations that the release of the iPhone 8 could come much sooner—which is as early as June 2017.
Network World reports that the annual Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) has finally been dated and it’s happening from June 5 to 9, 2017. If you’re not familiar with the WWDC, it’s an annual developers event held by Apple in San Francisco, where a bulk of Apple’s software and developer tool announcements are made, engineers and developers are enticed to collaborate, and people from the industry generally rub elbows.
So if this WWDC17 is going to be like the WWDC of the past years, you may ask, what makes us say that the iPhone 8, an Apple hardware, is going to get an announcement at a large software conference?
Well there are interesting rebuttals to this argument. EFT Daily News is one in sharing our speculation (or hopes) that the iPhone 8 may see the light of day at the WWDC17. For one, this is the first time in ages (almost 15 years to approximate) that the WWDC is going to be held at San Jose, instead of the usual San Francisco setup. Toms Guide notes that the San Jose venue last hosted the WWDC back in 2002, which was one memorable WWDC, for it was the event where then-CEO Steve Jobs held a mock funeral for the Mac OS 9.
Going back to that venue could spell two things: one, that it will be easier for Apple to transport whatever surprises they’re transporting (*cough* iPhone 8 units *cough*) from their Cupertino HQ since San Jose is closer to Cupertino than San Francisco; and two, that going back to the place where the classic Mac OS made its final curtain call could be a sign that WWDC17 will be making a similar symbolic gesture (i.e. rebirth of the iPhone a.k.a. iPhone 8).
In terms of hardware releases, a lot of people who frequent WWDC will also know that WWDC of the past years have been largely about software developments. However, did you know that before the iPhone 5 started a yearly September iPhone release, the previous iPhones made their debuts at the WWDC?
Yes, you heard that right. The iPhone 4 was first unveiled at the WWDC10 on June 7, 2010. Before that, the third generation iPhone 3GS was introduced on June 8, 2009, at the WWDC 2009. And the second generation iPhone 3G that came after the original iPhone was introduced on June 9, 2008, at the—wait for it—the WWDC 2008. So whoever said that no iPhone could make it to the WWDC17 is either crazy or has not done their research.
You must also already know that the upcoming iPhone 8 is what a lot of people are calling iPhone X since it will be the 10th anniversary iPhone. If you can remember, the first generation iPhone first made its way to the public in the United States on June 29, 2007. Then wouldn’t it be so nostalgic to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the iPhone right around its birth month of June, with a big iPhone 8 reveal?
Computer World also believes that an iPhone 8 reveal is highly possible this June at the WWDC17 since with the iOS 11 coming, it would be best to introduce an accompanying hardware that will house the latest OS. Since developers will be at the WWDC17, it will be most convenient for Apple to showcase the new advancements of the iOS 11 and the iPhone 8 at the event since its new interface elements, mechanics, and 64-bit requirements will require careful planning for starting developers and meticulous tweaking for existing ones. When you think about all the radical changes Apple is introducing to the iPhone 8 and the iOS 11, it’s impossible that they’re not at least one step ahead in terms of their developers because apps and software are, after all, the lifeline of the iPhone.
With all these arguments, there’s still no saying, of course, that the iPhone 8 will surely make a bang at the WWDC17. But what we know is it’s the most logical step for Apple right now. Imagine how much they will decapitate their opponents if they release the iPhone 8 early in the year! At worst, a lowly iPhone 8 teaser could make it into the WWDC. But whatever course of action they choose to take with the iPhone 8, Apple shouldn’t let this huge huge opportunity go.
[Featured image by Stephen Lam/ Getty Images]