iPhone 8 concept via <a href="https://twitter.com/VenyaGeskin1/status/829419673808732167">@VenyaGeskin1</a>
A new report from Fast Company highlights a few interesting details about this year’s anticipated iPhone release. According to their sources, the price tag for the iPhone 8 could exceed $1,000 which is higher than any option in the current lineup. The report also echoes rumors that the new hardware will feature 3D sensor technology while downplaying talk that the new models could launch earlier this year than expected.
A special 10th-anniversary edition of the iPhone is expected to be the ultimate iPhone, and it’ll come with a price tag to match—very likely north of $1,000, says a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans.
Apple’s current lineup for the latest generation iPhones today range from $649 to $969 at full price depending on display size and storage capacity. With rumors that Apple could introduce an even more premium tier this year, it’s easy to see how the iPhone could break the $1,000 price point if a 5.8-inch OLED model with upgraded storage is priced above the standard 5.5-inch version.
Fast Company says its sources corroborate supply chain reports that 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 7s models will be joined with a 5.8-inch iPhone 8 version, although the naming is not yet clear. The report also echoes rumors that the new design will feature stainless steel edges and a glass back similar to the iPhone 4 in terms of materials, and adds that the physical buttons along the side could be replaced with touch buttons as is expected with the Home button.
Somewhat buried in the piece is a detail about the rumored 3D sensor technology that we haven’t seen elsewhere. Fast Company claims that Lumentum may be the supplier for the new technology in Apple’s upcoming iPhone:
Our source says Apple has been working with Lumentum (formed when JDS Uniphase split in 2014) on 3D-sensing technology for the new high-end phone. It remains unclear how the technology will be applied, however. It could be used to recognize the user’s face for authentication. It could also be used in the camera to provide better image resolution. It could even be used in some form of augmented reality application, according to our source.
As for the modem, the report says Apple will continue to rely on both Qualcomm and Intel despite Apple’s $1 billion legal battle for the former supplier.
Finally, Fast Company downplays rumors that new iPhone models could go on sale earlier than usual this year. New iPhones have been released in September since the iPhone 5 in 2012, but a report this week claiming production has already started resulted in several secondary reports suggesting new iPhones could go on sale sooner than the expected fall timeframe.
To find everything we currently know about the next major iPhones, catch up on our iPhone 8 guide here.
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