Alleged 'iPhone 8' schematic shows wireless charging pad, no rear Touch ID
New purported schematics for Apple's "iPhone 8" show the rear of the device, possibly backing up claims that the product will switch to vertically-aligned lenses -- albeit without a Touch ID sensor.
The schematics stem from an unknown source, but were shared on Twitter by Steve Hemmerstoffer, well known for the accuracy of his own leaks. If genuine they would presumably come from one of Apple's assembly partners like Foxconn, or a parts manufacturer such as Catcher.
The leak contrasts with a document that emerged last week, featuring a cutout on the back seemingly shaped for a Touch ID sensor. In its place is a large pad, presumably for some implementation of wireless charging technology.
Rear-mounted Touch ID is generally considered unlikely, but at the same time, the company has supposedly had trouble integrating a sensor into the phone's edge-to-edge, 5.8-inch OLED display, which should swap a physical home button for a virtual one. Apple could be forced to delay the product's launch, if it doesn't scrap embedded Touch ID entirely.
Multiple reports have backed the idea of Apple shifting to a vertical camera setup. While there might be some other technical advantages, at the least the arrangement might be better for shooting in landscape mode like a traditional camera.
The "iPhone 8" is expected to ship later this year, with some other features including a faster "A11" processor and wireless charging.
The schematics stem from an unknown source, but were shared on Twitter by Steve Hemmerstoffer, well known for the accuracy of his own leaks. If genuine they would presumably come from one of Apple's assembly partners like Foxconn, or a parts manufacturer such as Catcher.
The leak contrasts with a document that emerged last week, featuring a cutout on the back seemingly shaped for a Touch ID sensor. In its place is a large pad, presumably for some implementation of wireless charging technology.
Rear-mounted Touch ID is generally considered unlikely, but at the same time, the company has supposedly had trouble integrating a sensor into the phone's edge-to-edge, 5.8-inch OLED display, which should swap a physical home button for a virtual one. Apple could be forced to delay the product's launch, if it doesn't scrap embedded Touch ID entirely.
Multiple reports have backed the idea of Apple shifting to a vertical camera setup. While there might be some other technical advantages, at the least the arrangement might be better for shooting in landscape mode like a traditional camera.
The "iPhone 8" is expected to ship later this year, with some other features including a faster "A11" processor and wireless charging.
Comments
One interesting tidbit I'm obsessed with is what appears to be a second speaker slot at the top. It's been multiple schematics so far. There's the one that obviously looks like an ear speaker slot that would be either beneath the display or cut through the display. But there is another above it on the top edge or maybe the backside top edge. I wonder what that is. Microphone. The ear speaker is a combine load speaker and ear speaker like in the iPhone 7, and has two air openings like the Watch?
That whole sensor, speaker cluster up there is confounding actually. That's a lot of stuff to fit in that small a volume.
First, I have not idea what most of you are seeing, I see no evidence of touch ID sensor on the back.
On a another note, this actually looks like a real 3D CAD drawing (not a schematics) I am personally use to seeing. verse everything we have been seeing to date. This does look like something that would come from Apple verses some guy in mom's basement playing Google Stetchup.
And this definitely looks legit. Sure, it may be one of the 9-10 rumoured prototypes, but it does lend bigger credence to the earlier drawings (which now, in hindsight, appear to be just simplified schematics based on these, only with less visible layers, instead of mock-ups) and puts it on par, if not way above the other sketchy 3D render with the TouchID cutout.
Also, while on the subject of cutouts, it seems that said cutout really was for TouchID and not wireless charging; have you all seen the size of both the charging pad depicted in this drawing and, duh, even the diameter of the pad already found on the currently shipping Apple Watch? They are huge by comparison, and if the pad has to be encased in any material other than metal, there's no way Apple would not revert to the iPhone 4-esque glass-and-metal sandwich concept or some variation thereof and instead put an unseeming cutout on the back. Nope. That would be ugly af.
Also, for all of those who think that Apple would either wait to have a truly wireless charging solution instead of going with a traditional electromagnetic induction pad solution so they could get rid of connectors altogether: nope. I'm thinking that they will still keep the Lightning connector, as well as the Lightning-to-USB cable, Lightning earbuds and Lightning-to-Audio Jack adaptor pack-ins. The charging pads (maybe in battery case, desk/nightstand- and dashboard-mounting varieties) will be nice-to-have accessories but optional purchases, in typical Apple fashion (just like the expensive and stock-constrained AirPods are). Mark my words.
that could be an interesting idea, however, I think I remember a phone out there pre-iphone era that had some sort of touch pad on the backside.
"technical advantages, at the least the arrangement might be better for shooting in landscape mode like a traditional camera."
I do not understand said advantage. It would seem that either dual camera orientation would not affect usability, but more of a matter of internal layout constraints. Please correct me.
If KGI is to be believed, Apple is going to stack to PCB boards on top of each other in order to maintain battery kHWr to display size ratios. The rumored 2.25:1 aspect ratio 5.8" display will actually be smaller than a 16:9 5.5" display, so the rumors of a 2700 mAHr battery makes sense too. The stacked boards also likely drove the thickness to 8.5 mm that it is rumored to be. Sounds sporty in the heat dissipation department.
that's aside. This sketch looks like a real deal. Everything looks so Apple design!