iPhone 8

A new analysis shared today by Business Insider from JP Morgan’s Rod Hall shows further proof that an iPhone ‘supercycle’ is imminent. A larger than normal amount of users on older generation models are expected to finally upgrade to Apple’s newest device later this year.

In Hall’s analysis today, he believes the new iPhone 8 is expected to have a higher price point helping to curb some of the device’s inevitable high demand. Hall believes features like wireless charging, a larger display, and improved camera tech will convince those lagging behind to finally upgrade.

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Although the iPhone 8 (and iPhone 7s counterparts) are not expected until the fall, Apple suppliers have to ramp production months in advance to secure the millions of parts necessary for the launch. Economic Daily News is today reporting that TSMC will begin mass production of the Apple A11 SoC, which will power the 2017 iPhones, in April.

The chip inside the iPhone 7 is the Apple A10 Fusion, which includes two high-power cores and two lower-power cores. The design of the A11 chip is unknown but the report says it is fabricated using a 10 nanometer process ..

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The reality won’t be quite as bezel-free as this concept image …

A spring iPad event this year has so far been taken almost as established fact. Apple has held one annually in recent years, and we’ve heard multiple reports about what to expect this year – one of them even suggesting a specific date.

The flagship product expected to be announced at the event was a new 10.5-inch iPad with a micro-bezel design that would allow it to have the same external dimensions as the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

But recent events suggest to me that, while the 10.5-inch iPad is probably real, it’s unlikely it will be announced at a spring event. Instead, it’s more likely to be at WWDC – or even later …

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Well known Apple analyst Gene Munster is today out with his latest predictions and expectations for Apple and the iPhone 8. As noted by CNBC, Munster today spoke on the effect the upcoming iPhone 8 could have on the market, saying the device will lead to a “paradigm shift.”

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Korea’s ET News reports that the so-called iPhone 8 will feature a ‘water drop design’ with curves similar to the original iPhone 10 years ago. While reports have previously claimed the new design will feature an all-glass front and back like the flat iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s, the latest rumor expects curved glass on both sides.

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While Apple has made clear that it has a keen interest in augmented reality, there have been conflicting reports about what form those features might take and how they might make their debut. A new Bloomberg report seeks to shed light on both questions.

The report echoes earlier ones that Apple has a large number of engineers working on AR features, and that they will be seen first in the iPhone …

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Latest iPhone 8 design concept

This fall Apple is expected to introduce three new iPhone models: iterative iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus updates, and a third model with a new design and screen size. According to a new report today, however, the so-called premium iPhone 8 model may only be visually more advanced rather than functionally.

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Samsung’s chip business has been increasingly left out in the cold by Apple as the company has favored Taiwanese rival TSMC for the A-series processors used it its iPhones and iPads. TSMC won all of Apple’s business for the A-series chips used in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7, and is reported to be the exclusive supplier for the 10nm A11 chip destined for the iPhone 8.

But it seems Samsung hasn’t yet given up hope of winning future business from Apple. Korea’s ET News reports that the company is accelerating plans for 7nm chips in the hopes that these might be used for next year’s iPhones …

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Analysts have been relatively optimistic thus far when it comes to their expectations for Apple’s new flagship iPhone this year. Analysts at Citi increased their target price for AAPL from $140 to $160 based on iPhone 8 rumors, while Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities expects Apple’s new iPhone 8 to significantly impact the supply chain this year.

Now, Morgan Stanley’s Kate Huberty is out with her thoughts on this year’s iPhone “super cycle,” explaining that she doesn’t think Wall Street realizes the full potential of iPhone 8…

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There have been a few reports over the last couple of months that the iPhone 8 will be significantly more expensive than the current iPhone lineup, with one source citing $1000 starting price points. Ostensibly, Apple’s new flagship iPhone will include many advanced features to justify that higher pricing tier; bezel-less display, integrated fingerprint sensor, and wireless charging to name a few.

Today, Digitimes is reporting that the 3D Touch module in the OLED iPhone will cost $15, an increase of 60% over existing iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models. This supports the idea that the iPhone 8 will come at a premium, as Apple will have to increase prices to retain its margins …

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Powermat charger installed in Starbucks

While all the signs are pointing toward Apple bringing wireless charging to all three of this year’s iPhones, there are still a lot of question marks out there – one of which is compatibility with existing charging kit.

One of the biggest suppliers of wireless charging mats for everything from cars to coffee shops is seeking to offer reassurance there, stating that it plans to support ‘whatever wireless charging protocol Apple employs’ …

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Samsung’s Galaxy Edge design (left); iPhone 6/6s/7/Plus design (right)

Seemingly conflicting reports on the iPhone 8 screen have been causing confusion, some earlier reports describing a curved screen, while Business Insider notes that some analysts expect a flat display.

A large number of reports have suggested that the screen on that new device will be curved but an increasing number of iPhone watchers believe it will actually be flat.

The apparent contradictions may, however, be down to little more than semantics …

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Prominent Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI is out this weekend with a new investor note, but this one focuses almost entirely on Samsung and its upcoming Galaxy S8 refresh. Nevertheless, there are a couple of tidbits about Apple inside the report…

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Yesterday, we rounded up everything we currently know about the iPhone 8, including the expected nearly bezel-less design and OLED display. One of the biggest benefits of OLED vs LCD is the deeper black that it can provide, which would pair almost perfectly with a “Dark Mode” in iOS.

Now, designer Vianney le Masne has imagined what the combination of a Dark Mode, OLED display, and bezel-less design could mean for app developers and designers…

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Render created by Benjamin Geskin for iDropNews

A few months ago, we rounded up everything that had been rumored about this year’s flagship iPhone. Since then, however, things have changed. Some new details have emerged, some old rumors have been squashed, and more.

As we inch closer to the announcement of the tenth anniversary iPhone, we’re starting to narrow down what exactly the device might feature. It can get overwhelming with all of the contradicting reports, so read on for our full, updated breakdown of 2017 iPhone rumors…

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In this week’s top stories: More iPhone 8 news, iOS 10.3 beta 5, CIA exploits in the latest Wikileaks dump, the best aftermarket CarPlay options and much more.

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A lot of the iPhone 8 renders doing the rounds are just fantasy ones – created without any reference to reported features or, indeed, to practicality. We’ve seen several recent ones, for example, where the display covers the entire front of the phone – something believed to be a long-term goal of Jony Ive, but not something we’re expecting to see in the iPhone 8.

But a set of renders created by Benjamin Geskin for iDropNews do a decent job of matching the actual reports we’ve been hearing, and provide what might be our best look yet and what we can actually expect to see when the iPhone 8 is announced …

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Late last night, a report emerged claiming that Apple is considering naming its flagship iPhone this year the “iPhone Edition.” This rumor, rather unsurprisingly, was met with a generally negative response from potential customers.

This makes us wonder, what do you think Apple should name its flagship iPhone this year?

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Imagination Technologies today unveiled its next-gen PowerVR Furian architecture, its upcoming next-gen GPU design that could give clues to enhancements ready for future iPhones. Most notably, the company says Furian enables enhanced power efficiency for mobile devices that will pave the way for high-resolution, immersive graphics content including AR and VR applications. In other words, the GPU could help upcoming iPhones achieve higher (4K?) resolutions with big computing and gaming performance improvements:

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Apple is widely expected to launch three new iPhones this year, two iterative updates to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus and one radical new form factor device with an OLED screen, informally dubbed ‘iPhone 8’.

Recent reports have suggested that the iPhone 8 may launch later than the other two models, as some of the innovative components will not be ready for September …

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