Apple to forge 'iPhone 8' chassis from stainless steel, report says

2

Comments

  • Reply 21 of 51
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

  • Reply 22 of 51
    AI_liasAI_lias Posts: 434member
    sog35 said:
    kiowavt said:
    True or not,

    Oh Apple, please stop with the thinness.  Yes, it's the bragging point of the universe, but we are there at the great paradise of thinness in laptop and phone and pad. Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.  At this wonderful current thinness (before 7 and Touchbar) most folks add cases anyway.  Make the phone much thinner and I will cut myself on it.  :-)  Battery life and function are at this stage far far far far more important to me and most others than the bragging rights of the thinnest out there.  Yes yes, Steve Jobs pulled the Air out of a paper envelope and that was impressive.  Even he would have known not to carry this on forever.  Now the latest laptop is missing so much many might buy something from OWC that adds back thickness and function.  Trouble is they also had to first pay the super high premium price for the thinning of the laptop.  Oh, and a case with a headphone jack.  Yep, the same there too.  There comes a point where you have arrived, but even Apple failed to notice that.  Add AR.  Increase battery life to the moon. But stop before you go anorexic.  Please.  That also takes courage.  

    (The trick would have been to addict everyone to the AirPods and then, after a few Generations of AirPod improvement, THEN ditch the headphone jack).  
    There's a thing called a battery case for people like you who needed extended battery life.

    For the rest of us, we enjoy the beautiful slim design. Why should the rest of us suffer with a thick ass phone, when its only the 1% like you that need extreme battery usage?
    It's not only 1%. It's the most requested feature from a smartphone, from the users themselves. Question is, is Apple at the point where it does not listen to the users any more. Hopefully it does. I don't recall seeing thin-ness being at the top of the wish-list. The design can be as beautiful as you want, if it is not practical, people will use thick cases. 
    GeorgeBMacwilliamlondon
  • Reply 23 of 51
    AI_liasAI_lias Posts: 434member
    foggyhill said:
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

    It's not the aluminum that's the problem, but the glass which is at the edge, and not recessed. So, it is the design with the curved glass, which does not provide a good grip because the edges are so rounded, and once dropped, the glass which is not recessed. Remember that guy on TV that just bought one of the first Iphone 6 Plus-es, and dropped it on live TV?
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 24 of 51
    kiowavt said:
    True or not,

    Oh Apple, please stop with the thinness.  Yes, it's the bragging point of the universe, but we are there at the great paradise of thinness in laptop and phone and pad. Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.  At this wonderful current thinness (before 7 and Touchbar) most folks add cases anyway.  Make the phone much thinner and I will cut myself on it.  :-)  Battery life and function are at this stage far far far far more important to me and most others than the bragging rights of the thinnest out there.  Yes yes, Steve Jobs pulled the Air out of a paper envelope and that was impressive.  Even he would have known not to carry this on forever.  Now the latest laptop is missing so much many might buy something from OWC that adds back thickness and function.  Trouble is they also had to first pay the super high premium price for the thinning of the laptop.  Oh, and a case with a headphone jack.  Yep, the same there too.  There comes a point where you have arrived, but even Apple failed to notice that.  Add AR.  Increase battery life to the moon. But stop before you go anorexic.  Please.  That also takes courage.  

    (The trick would have been to addict everyone to the AirPods and then, after a few Generations of AirPod improvement, THEN ditch the headphone jack).  
    Apple isn't the only company chasing "thinness." There are many other companies who are claiming having the thinnest smartphones, notebooks and tablets. I'm definitely not behind this push for thinness but companies see it as a great marketing ploy and in a way it can save on materials especially when a product is being produced in the millions of units. I think most companies have gone too far with trying to have the thinnest products but that's just me. I'd always take a more robust battery over a few ounces of weight savings or having to have a thinner case. Not as though anyone cares what I'd prefer. I honestly think Apple is trying to save on materials more than anything because the company seems to be really into saving the ecology. Think of all those years when computers were made of those big metal cases which were mostly empty inside. That was a huge waste of materials. Most card slots were never used.
  • Reply 25 of 51
    foggyhill said:
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

    Well I guess I'm an idiot then because my iPhone is in a case and always will be. I want it to be pristine so it can easily be sold for top dollar.
    GeorgeBMac
  • Reply 26 of 51
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,718member
    I never went for the stainless steel look personally, seemed like a fad to me, we stayed with a white kitchen .. oh wait ...
    GeorgeBMacwilliamlondon
  • Reply 27 of 51
    AI_lias said:
    sog35 said:
    kiowavt said:
    True or not,

    Oh Apple, please stop with the thinness.  Yes, it's the bragging point of the universe, but we are there at the great paradise of thinness in laptop and phone and pad. Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.  At this wonderful current thinness (before 7 and Touchbar) most folks add cases anyway.  Make the phone much thinner and I will cut myself on it.  :-)  Battery life and function are at this stage far far far far more important to me and most others than the bragging rights of the thinnest out there.  Yes yes, Steve Jobs pulled the Air out of a paper envelope and that was impressive.  Even he would have known not to carry this on forever.  Now the latest laptop is missing so much many might buy something from OWC that adds back thickness and function.  Trouble is they also had to first pay the super high premium price for the thinning of the laptop.  Oh, and a case with a headphone jack.  Yep, the same there too.  There comes a point where you have arrived, but even Apple failed to notice that.  Add AR.  Increase battery life to the moon. But stop before you go anorexic.  Please.  That also takes courage.  

    (The trick would have been to addict everyone to the AirPods and then, after a few Generations of AirPod improvement, THEN ditch the headphone jack).  
    There's a thing called a battery case for people like you who needed extended battery life.

    For the rest of us, we enjoy the beautiful slim design. Why should the rest of us suffer with a thick ass phone, when its only the 1% like you that need extreme battery usage?
    It's not only 1%. It's the most requested feature from a smartphone, from the users themselves. Question is, is Apple at the point where it does not listen to the users any more. Hopefully it does. I don't recall seeing thin-ness being at the top of the wish-list. The design can be as beautiful as you want, if it is not practical, people will use thick cases. 
    Apple has never listened to it's users (in the sense you are inferring). Users listen to Apple.
    williamlondon
  • Reply 28 of 51
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    foggyhill said:
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

    Well I guess I'm an idiot then because my iPhone is in a case and always will be. I want it to be pristine so it can easily be sold for top dollar.
    My plan is to use my phone, which means actually appreciating the esthetics, for 3 years and then pass it on to my mother, aunts, etc.
    I always put my phone in an inside pocket in my purse so its pretty much close to pristine anyway. Just have to watch out when putting on very dirty surfaces with sand on it.
    freethinkingStrangeDaysanomewatto_cobrastompy
  • Reply 29 of 51
    rob53rob53 Posts: 3,241member
    (serious question)
    Aluminum is non magnetic but conductive. Some mixtures of stainless steel are magnetic and usually conductive, but not as conductive as aluminum. I remember the antenna issues Apple had with a version of the iPhone. Will changing to stainless steel bring these issues back or has Apple figured out a way to provide a good antenna without any interference from an aluminum, stainless steel or even ceramic shell?

    I know Apple can machine aluminum very accurately but forging anything out of steel means dealing with shrinkage from cooling and almost always requires additional milling to clean up rough edges. I don't see the advantage of going to this type of manufacturing. Steel can bend, sometimes easier than specialized mixtures of aluminum.

    (not so serious rambling)
    Of course, while we're guessing on guessing rumors, we might as well throw in the rumor Apple will produce a totally flexible iPhone without a rigid frame, using flexible OLED displays, flexible silicon SOC components, and a flexible battery (with 10X the amount of power they currently have) that will never break when dropped and can survive a 787 rolling over it (of course, anyone who knows something about distribution of weight knows stepping on something wearing stiletto heels has a tremendous pressure per square inch while a 787 distributes that pressure over a large area). Seriously, there's no reason Apple couldn't develop a flexible logic board that could operate just fine in a flexible iPhone. Yep, build it and I'll stuff it in my front pocket and be able to squat without breaking my iPhone.
  • Reply 30 of 51
    linkmanlinkman Posts: 1,035member
    kiowavt said:
    Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.
    The 3.5mm to Lightning adapter doesn't work?
    mrboba1StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 31 of 51
    AI_liasAI_lias Posts: 434member
    Mikeymike said:
    AI_lias said:
    sog35 said:
    kiowavt said:
    True or not,

    Oh Apple, please stop with the thinness.  Yes, it's the bragging point of the universe, but we are there at the great paradise of thinness in laptop and phone and pad. Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.  At this wonderful current thinness (before 7 and Touchbar) most folks add cases anyway.  Make the phone much thinner and I will cut myself on it.  :-)  Battery life and function are at this stage far far far far more important to me and most others than the bragging rights of the thinnest out there.  Yes yes, Steve Jobs pulled the Air out of a paper envelope and that was impressive.  Even he would have known not to carry this on forever.  Now the latest laptop is missing so much many might buy something from OWC that adds back thickness and function.  Trouble is they also had to first pay the super high premium price for the thinning of the laptop.  Oh, and a case with a headphone jack.  Yep, the same there too.  There comes a point where you have arrived, but even Apple failed to notice that.  Add AR.  Increase battery life to the moon. But stop before you go anorexic.  Please.  That also takes courage.  

    (The trick would have been to addict everyone to the AirPods and then, after a few Generations of AirPod improvement, THEN ditch the headphone jack).  
    There's a thing called a battery case for people like you who needed extended battery life.

    For the rest of us, we enjoy the beautiful slim design. Why should the rest of us suffer with a thick ass phone, when its only the 1% like you that need extreme battery usage?
    It's not only 1%. It's the most requested feature from a smartphone, from the users themselves. Question is, is Apple at the point where it does not listen to the users any more. Hopefully it does. I don't recall seeing thin-ness being at the top of the wish-list. The design can be as beautiful as you want, if it is not practical, people will use thick cases. 
    Apple has never listened to it's users (in the sense you are inferring). Users listen to Apple.
    That is both true and also false. Apple is known to just figure out on their own what they think users want. Sometimes they give us something we don't think we want (new features or taking away features) and we come around to see their point. However there are examples of their listening to their users. The one that most easily comes to mind, is the introduction, by Steve Jobs, of Apple TV 3rd gen (or 2nd, don't remember, the hockey puck one). He's basically going down a bullet list of things Apple TV users want/don't want, most memorable of which is "they do not want a computer as a TV". So, I'm not sure what channels Apple has for listening to their users, there's the feedback channel, etc. I think they should listen. Any company can get carried away if they ignore this, even if Apple has been good at it historically. When their sales are through the roof, they might be deceived that sales means that users like some things they really do not: ex. iPhone sells really well because of the ecosystem, not because of the design of the iPhone, but Apple interprets this as a validation of the iPhone design, etc.
    edited January 2017
  • Reply 32 of 51
    kiowavt said:
    True or not,

    Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.
    […]
    Battery life and function are at this stage far far far far more important to me and most others than the bragging rights of the thinnest out there.
    Didn't understand why jack removal meant you can't buy new iPhones. iPhone 7 comes with lightning EarPods and optionally accepts AirPods.
    But I agree that battery life should get far greater focus from Apple. And wireless charging made the right way. I mean, charging my gadget while I take it from the bedroom to the kitchen, and to the backyard, and so on.
    StrangeDaysbrucemc
  • Reply 33 of 51
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    Soli said:
    kiowavt said:
    True or not,

    Oh Apple, please stop with the thinness.  Yes, it's the bragging point of the universe, but we are there at the great paradise of thinness in laptop and phone and pad. Headphone jack removal meant I cannot buy any new iPhones (I am on my phone all day for work) so the thinning of the phone lost one sale, and likely I have to hold onto my 6s forever.  At this wonderful current thinness (before 7 and Touchbar) most folks add cases anyway.  Make the phone much thinner and I will cut myself on it.  :-)  Battery life and function are at this stage far far far far more important to me and most others than the bragging rights of the thinnest out there.  Yes yes, Steve Jobs pulled the Air out of a paper envelope and that was impressive.  Even he would have known not to carry this on forever.  Now the latest laptop is missing so much many might buy something from OWC that adds back thickness and function.  Trouble is they also had to first pay the super high premium price for the thinning of the laptop.  Oh, and a case with a headphone jack.  Yep, the same there too.  There comes a point where you have arrived, but even Apple failed to notice that.  Add AR.  Increase battery life to the moon. But stop before you go anorexic.  Please.  That also takes courage.  

    (The trick would have been to addict everyone to the AirPods and then, after a few Generations of AirPod improvement, THEN ditch the headphone jack).  
    1) While Apple could've made the iPhone 7 series thicker to allow for the headphone and all the other new components, the point of the removing the headphone jack wasn't about making the device thinner. And you speak as if there was no option for playing back music via headphones with the iPhone 7. Not only did they include Lightning headphones there have been hundreds of products on the market for years that did just that. Frankly, I wish they had done it years ago.

    2) You'll forego better performance, new HW features, and eventually a new version of iOS with all its improved security and features because the iPhone 6S went from 0.28" thick to 0.28" thick. Isn't that the same thickness as before? Also keep in mind that the iPhone 6S was a little thicker than the iPhone 6. Additionally, Apple Watch Series 2 is thicker than the original. So what's this about Apple only caring obsessed with thinness without any consideration for utility or marketability before of some "bragging point of the universe"? But, hey, if you want to make false statements that make you look stupid, go right ahead.
    The "xS" model is always an update to internals without a change to form factor -- so that's not a valid comparison.  And, last year, even the "7", although much improved inside, was essentially a 6SS rather than a new phone (as we typically think of them).
  • Reply 34 of 51
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    foggyhill said:
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

    Most people, I believe, use cases as impact protection, shock absorbers if you will, to protect the front from breakage rather than protect the back from scratches.
    edited January 2017 watto_cobra
  • Reply 35 of 51
    macxpressmacxpress Posts: 5,801member
    macxpress said:
    So basically recycling the iPhone 4 design? Call me skeptical.
    Is there a particular reason why you're always so negative toward every story? 
    So we're supposed to trust DigiTimes now?? And yes I am skeptical that Apple will recycle the iPhone 4 design. How is that being negative?
    They way it was worded made it sound to me that you were being skeptical toward Apple, thus my negative comment. Had you said mentioned something about Digitimes we wouldn't be having this conversation. 
  • Reply 36 of 51
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    sog35 said:
    AI_lias said:
    foggyhill said:
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

    It's not the aluminum that's the problem, but the glass which is at the edge, and not recessed. So, it is the design with the curved glass, which does not provide a good grip because the edges are so rounded, and once dropped, the glass which is not recessed. Remember that guy on TV that just bought one of the first Iphone 6 Plus-es, and dropped it on live TV?
    You can design to eliminate stupid and careless.

    I've had my 6+ for over 2 years without a case and my 5s for a year before that.

    Take care of your stuff and not having a case is zero problem.

    In fact having a case may lead to more drops because you are not as careful and it also adds bulk, which leads to drops.
    I can't tell you how many times I've dropped my 6+.  Every one of them was a very unexpected accident.  But, knock on wood, the Tech21 case kept the screen from breaking.   While I can't say that it would not have broken anyway, I prefer not to find out how impact resistant the screen is.

    Conversely, unless you are looking down the road to giving away or selling the phone, I see no benefit to using a bulky, ugly case to keep the back from getting scratched.   And, even for resale, used phones bring so little in comparison to their original cost (particularly those with extra (Ooops! I mean adequate) memory), I would not think it is worth the cost and the ugliness of the case to save it from scratches.  (But, giving it to a relative or friend is a very different story).
  • Reply 37 of 51
    volcanvolcan Posts: 1,799member
    sflocal said:
    If Apple comes out with a modern version of the iPhone4 chassis, I'll be the first one in line to get one.  It's still by far (imho) the most elegant, gorgeous phone ever made.  Just as Steve Jobs said, "Like an old Leica".  
    The iPhone 4 looked nice but it wore out the pocket of Levi's fairly quickly in my experience. I like the iPhone 6 design better, except for the placement of the power button.
  • Reply 38 of 51
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    macxpress said:
    So basically recycling the iPhone 4 design? Call me skeptical.
    Is there a particular reason why you're always so negative toward every story? 
    Doctor Dre slapped his dog. 
    StrangeDayswilliamlondon
  • Reply 39 of 51
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    foggyhill said:
    All this attention on the appearance and thinness of the phone is a bit ridiculous...

    Not only does it violate the Jobs principle of 'making people's lives better' but, more ridiculous is the fact that the last time most people ever see the back of their phone is the day take it out of the box and immediately encase in a thick, ugly case. A case that makes a mockery of all of Apple's efforts to produce a thin phone with a beautiful back.

    If Apple wants to do something to make people's lives better, let them design a phone that doesn't need a case!
    You don't really need a case, AL 7000 is tough enough for anything, I'd gather stainless steel will show scratches more.
    I think a Ceramic (or ceramic composite) back with the edge being stainless is the best. Only an idiot would put a case on that though people will still do it anyway.

    Well I guess I'm an idiot then because my iPhone is in a case and always will be. I want it to be pristine so it can easily be sold for top dollar.
    Wait… You have an iPhone??
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 40 of 51
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member

    AI_lias said:
    When their sales are through the roof, they might be deceived that sales means that users like some things they really do not: ex. iPhone sells really well because of the ecosystem, not because of the design of the iPhone, but Apple interprets this as a validation of the iPhone design, etc.


    When sales are through the roof that means that people like the phone and complaints about thinness are not loud enough in the real world (and by real world, I mean outside forums) to have any impact. 

    Yes, everyone wants the battery to last longer, but they also want a thin good-looking phone. Apple does what it always does: it goes for the best balance it can. If you don't like it then don't buy it. 

    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
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