Gorgeous iPhone 8 concept imagines Siri w/ augmented reality features [Gallery]

Quite a few concepts have been popping up lately imagining how rumored features for the iPhone 8 could be implemented. A larger curved OLED display with so-called “function area” and embedded Home button implementation have been the focus of most, but a new concept today instead focuses on how iOS might improve in the process. More specifically, an augmented reality version of Siri…

The concept below from Gabor Balogh imagines a redesigned Siri that integrates AR features, something Apple is also reportedly developing, directly into the home screen experience. When a user raises the device, the background of the home screen becomes a live view into the real world behind, with Siri not only interacting with your device but also real-world objects that it sees in the camera/live view:

The real world is not hidden by the device anymore. If raised, the environment is visible in the background of the home screen in a semi-transparent way, indicating that you can unveil it by pressing the digital Home button. Same way as now, but Siri would be present in augmented reality… Siri would now not only listen you, but would see the world. It would recognize objects, know where you are, what your activity is and what you probably need in that moment.

The idea is that Siri would be an integrated part of the augmented reality experience for iPhone 8, acting as your assistant and allowing voice commands throughout the experience. In another example, the live view provides walking directions with assistance from Siri:

In the process, the concept imagines a redesign for the Home button, which based on reports Apple is planning on embedding directly into the upcoming iPhone’s display.

The concept builds off several recent reports that Apple is working on augmented reality features, possibly to be introduced in time for the next-generation iPhones this fall. A few reports have suggested Apple will introduce AR features through a new 3D depth-sensing camera, allowing for applications such as games and facial recognition, while others noted that Apple has teams of employees working on augmented reality features.

While leaks for features planned for iOS 11 are light at this point, another recent concept video showed how Apple could implement rumored dark mode features as well as group FaceTime, iPhone split screen, and more.