Apple's 'iPhone 8' to use 'water drop design' with curved, 3D glass back - report

Posted:
in iPhone edited March 2017
This year's "iPhone 8" will sport a "water drop design" referencing the original iPhone, a Korean report claimed on Monday, with Apple employing "3D glass" to mimic the 2007 device's heavily-rounded edges.

The first-generation iPhone from 2007.
The first-generation iPhone from 2007.


The glass on the new device will create a "curved wall" on the back, according to one of several ETNews sources. Since the iPhone 4, Apple has minimized or in some cases eliminated any tapering.

As expected Apple will pair the back with a modestly curved OLED display, ETNews added. Some earlier reports hinted that the device might use a more dramatic curve -- like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge -- but Apple is believed to be going with a simpler design to ease manufacturing.

The "iPhone 8" should still look radically different from the first iPhone, not the least because of size. Most reports agree that the new device will sport an edge-to-edge, 5.8-inch OLED panel, much improved over the original's 3.5-inch LCD. At the same time it will probably be far thinner -- the 2007 phone was nearly half an inch thick.

Apple is moreover thought to be ditching a physical home button for a virtual "function area," which should not only change functionality but help shrink the bottom bezel.

Other "iPhone 8" features are believed to include wireless charging and 3D facial recognition. The device could come at a steep cost however, potentially in excess of $1,000. One report referred to it as the "iPhone Edition," suggesting a rich target audience like the ceramic Apple Watch Edition.

For regular iPhone buyers Apple is allegedly developing the "iPhone 7s" and "7s Plus," which should be similar to the iPhone 7 line but with a few upgrades, including some "iPhone 8" perks like wireless charging.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 24
    bill42bill42 Posts: 131member
    Looks great! Love the retro throw-back design and the return to just 4x5 apps on the screen.

    The iPhone 9 should use the Newton case design. That'll be SICK.
    williamhdoozydozen1983cali
  • Reply 2 of 24
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member
    Step 1: new 20.5" iMac (please)
    Step 2: iPhone "8"
    Step 3: new iPad Pro (big or small, but only if it's vastly better than my 1st gen 12.9" iPad Pro)
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 24
    dougddougd Posts: 292member
    New one looks like the original ๐Ÿ‘Ž๐Ÿ‘Ž
    cali
  • Reply 4 of 24
    dougd said:
    New one looks like the original ๐Ÿ‘Ž๐Ÿ‘Ž
    If you look at the picture's caption, it is the original iPhone. 
    fastasleepLogicalReasoningcalidoozydozen
  • Reply 5 of 24
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    Betting there's nothing to this rumor.
  • Reply 6 of 24
    Looks like we are well into the season where there is a new report just about every day regarding the next iPhone.  Seems to start earlier and earlier each year.  

    Personally, my favorite part is how often these analyst reports seems to exist solely to refute some other analysts claim.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 24
    sog35 said:
    Those iphone 1 bezels...........Bezels for miles baby

    I'm so looking forward to the iPhoneX release this year. I remember just 12 months ago people said what I was wishing for was a dream fantasy.


    What did you say 12 months ago?
    doozydozentyler82[Deleted User]
  • Reply 8 of 24
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member
    you have to admit the original iphone fit the hand the best, it was easy to hold onto and it was just more comfortable. However, that all changes since people look at the thinness as the measure of what is best not whether is set well in your hand. It would be interesting to see if Apple tries to bring this back.
  • Reply 9 of 24
    schlackschlack Posts: 719member
    Would be interesting if the 7S upgrades the 7 as that would be 4 cycles with the same design. not that this is bad, makes a lot of sense to me actually...especially if there's a pricier alternative that Apple can upsell people into.
    SLR
  • Reply 10 of 24
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    sog35 said:
    Those iphone 1 bezels...........Bezels for miles baby

    I'm so looking forward to the iPhoneX release this year. I remember just 12 months ago people said what I was wishing for was a dream fantasy.


    What did you say 12 months ago?
    That Tim Cook should be fired. 
    dsdslprescottcalidoozydozenwatto_cobra[Deleted User]
  • Reply 11 of 24
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    maestro64 said:
    you have to admit the original iphone fit the hand the best, it was easy to hold onto and it was just more comfortable. However, that all changes since people look at the thinness as the measure of what is best not whether is set well in your hand. It would be interesting to see if Apple tries to bring this back.
    I never had that one but I had the 3g and 3gs. In fact I still have them and though I never particularly liked the look they are by far the most comfortable in the hand as well as in the back pocket. 
  • Reply 12 of 24
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    Looks like I'll be keeping the 5S till 9 then.
  • Reply 13 of 24
    spice-boyspice-boy Posts: 1,450member
    Anything that is easier to pickup from a table top, does not seem to jump out of my hands due to a tiny rounded edge or too slippery a surface please. 
  • Reply 14 of 24
    bluefire1bluefire1 Posts: 1,301member
    Maybe they'll announce the iPhone 8/iPhone Edition in June--the same month the original iPhone came out and make preorders available as well.
    Wishful thinking.
    doozydozen
  • Reply 15 of 24
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    paxman said:
    maestro64 said:
    you have to admit the original iphone fit the hand the best, it was easy to hold onto and it was just more comfortable. However, that all changes since people look at the thinness as the measure of what is best not whether is set well in your hand. It would be interesting to see if Apple tries to bring this back.
    I never had that one but I had the 3g and 3gs. In fact I still have them and though I never particularly liked the look they are by far the most comfortable in the hand as well as in the back pocket. 
    As did I, but I really liked the design, they were my favorite. Much more organic and shiny -- kinda like the new jet black 7. But the 3 had the best palm-ability, just stuck to the hand.
  • Reply 16 of 24
    mattinoz said:
    Looks like I'll be keeping the 5S till 9 then.
    The justification?
    doozydozenwatto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 24
    calicali Posts: 3,494member
    sog35 said:
    Those iphone 1 bezels...........Bezels for miles baby

    I'm so looking forward to the iPhoneX release this year. I remember just 12 months ago people said what I was wishing for was a dream fantasy.


    That a new iPhone would come out?

    who would refute that?
    doozydozenRayz2016
  • Reply 18 of 24
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    This was the best iPhone design I ever held. It fit perfectly in my hand. If they could get the next iPhone down to around this size with bezeless edge-to-edge display, and current thickness, it would be a dream.
  • Reply 19 of 24
    anomeanome Posts: 1,533member

    But it's so huge! You can tell because they had to change the hand model from a woman to a man to make it look smaller. Everybody knows phones are only going to get smaller in the future. This thing is a failure before it even launches...

    (With no apology at all to any of the idiots who spouted this crap in 2007.)

  • Reply 20 of 24
    I had the original iPhone... loved it. But it was like holding a bar of soap! :)
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