Latest iPhone 8 leak suggests the future is all screen

8 Aug 2017

An iPhone screen. Image: ymgerman/Shutterstock

It’s that time of year again, as the first few reportedly leaked images of the new iPhone 8 emerge – and it seems to be an all-screen affair.

Around this time last year, rumours began circulating that Apple was to ditch the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and, sure enough, those rumours became fact.

Now in 2017, a new supposedly leaked photo of the iPhone 8 has emerged, appearing to confirm the rumours that Apple is to follow Samsung’s model and ditch the home button altogether.

The source is reporter Evan Blass, who posted the image to Twitter, showing the phone without its familiar button and an all-screen display, minus the earpiece and selfie camera.

Details remain scant but the fact that the iPhone – featuring a case designed by Urban Armor, a company that regularly works with iPhones – shows a date in March suggests this could be an older concept image.

Blass had some online backing from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman – a reliable source for Apple leaks – who responded by saying the leaked image gives a good shot of the phone’s “notch”.

Could also include facial authentication

Last month, the release of a new firmware update to Apple’s smart home assistant, HomePod, suggested some other new features set for the next iPhone.

Among them was an infrared unlock tool in BiometricKit that would work as facial authentication on the same framework as Touch ID.

Named Pearl ID, the suggestion is that the facial recognition will act as an unlock feature even in the dark, and it won’t even need users’ full face in view of the screen.

Due for release either late September or early October in Apple’s core markets, the iPhone 8 is aiming to be a step up in innovation as it marks the 10th year of its existence.

While criticised in the past by some for not bringing enough to customers in the past few years, some of Apple’s biggest competitors have spoken openly of their commercial fears about the new phone’s launch.

An iPhone screen. Image: ymgerman/Shutterstock

Colm Gorey was a senior journalist with Silicon Republic

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