Supposed 'iPhone 8' back panel without Touch ID resurfaces in new leak

AppleInsider · July 11, 2017 5:58AM

A photograph posted to Chinese microblogging service Weibo claims to show a production glass panel back bound for Apple's rumored "iPhone 8," with the alleged part lacking a cutout for a Touch ID fingerprint reader.

As seen above, the supposed next-generation iPhone rear cover making the rounds on Weibo on Tuesday is said to be manufactured from glass, a design that jibes with early rumors suggesting Apple will return to a "glass sandwich" aesthetic for "iPhone 8." The purported part also boasts a cutout for a vertically arranged dual-camera array, another feature rumored for inclusion with the next-generation handset.

Upon closer inspection, the component appears to be nearly identical to a rear cover leaked in June. That version was highly suspect as it included regulatory markings like the "Conformite Europeene" tag for communications devices (CE 0682), CE alert mark and battery disposal safety notice.

Apple in its pursuit for uniform industrial design did away with most regulatory markings on iPhone 7, instead opting to reproduce the required information in digital form in the "About" section of the Settings app. Current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus handsets contain two extremely small lines of text below the "iPhone" logo that read "Designed by Apple in California Assembled in China" and include model number, FCC identifier and IC code information.

While the part in today's photo does not contain regulatory markings -- even the usual "Designed by Apple in California" seal -- the positioning of both Apple and iPhone logos match up exactly with last month's dubious leak. It can be speculated that parts leakers are simply recycling a handful of mockups created from supposed "iPhone 8" schematics published earlier this year.

Apple is expected to announce three new iPhone models this fall. Along with incremental "iPhone 7s" updates, a so-called "iPhone 8," or "iPhone Pro," model with full-face OLED screen, wireless charging, forward facing 3D sensing camera and other advanced technologies is anticipated. Recent rumors suggest Apple's wireless charging solution might not be ready in time for launch, though the company is working to overcome technical hurdles before September.

Most recently, rumors claim "iPhone 8" will come in four colors including a new reflective version never before seen on an Apple handset.

jonny05 · July 11, 2017 7:02AM

I don't understand why Appleinsider keep insisting that the CE markings make the previous leak "highly suspect"! I'm sitting here in the UK, with an iPhone 7 with those exact markings on the back. They may have been removed in the US, but I don't believe they have from European models.

radarthekat · July 11, 2017 7:26AM

Was never worried.

esquirecats · July 11, 2017 7:32AM

While the CE marking is included even on models outside of the EU. Their inclusion on an aluminium panel would be highly curious as regulatory markings aren't typically included in prototypes, however as this is now a glass rear panel it could merely be included for testing purposes.

It also seems unlikely that Touch ID would be moved to the rear of the device, simply put: there was nothing stopping Apple from doing this in any of their prior models, it's just not a great place for touch id to be. (E.g. Difficult for apple pay and covered by cases, mount kits, iPhone wallets and so on.)

rogifan_new · July 11, 2017 11:02AM

I’m still curious how they handle the camera bump. They made it better with the iPhone 7 as it became part of the chassis but some of the supposed iPhone 8 leaks it looked like a shiny chrome ring just making the camera stick out vs blending in. I hope those leaks turn out to be false.

wood1208 · July 11, 2017 11:17AM

Don't care until Apple announces in September. Rest jibber-jabber to me.

mike1 · July 11, 2017 12:52PM

jonny05 said:

I don't understand why Appleinsider keep insisting that the CE markings make the previous leak "highly suspect"! I'm sitting here in the UK, with an iPhone 7 with those exact markings on the back. They may have been removed in the US, but I don't believe they have from European models.

All the phones I've ever used in the US also contain the CE and other icons/logos. It is not unreasonable to expect markings or no markings on prototypes and mock-ups. Manufacturers may have simply used older artwork when making prototypes. Then as they scale-up for full production, samples are produced with minimal art, until new artwork is released by Apple for inclusion in production.

lkrupp · July 11, 2017 12:54PM

wood1208 said:

Don't care until Apple announces in September. Rest jibber-jabber to me.

Amen, brother @wood1208 ! Can I have another Amen and a Hallelujah!

rotateleftbyte · July 11, 2017 1:25PM

wood1208 said:

Don't care until Apple announces in September. Rest jibber-jabber to me.

Don't you know this is a new multi-million $$$ industry? The annual iPhone rumour mill is worth millions in hit counts and therefore advertising revenue for literally dozens if not hindred os websites.
It would not surprise me that there are whole companies in China devoted to making bits of 'the new iPhone' on behalf of some shall we say less scrupulous sites just so that these sites can break the new latest super dooper rumour at regular intervals just to keep the ad revenue flowing.

Cynical? Don't need to answer that now do I?

Oh, and the consipracy theorists will insist that Apple themselves are behind all these rumours.
Te-he.

edited July 2017

anton zuykov · July 11, 2017 2:26PM

well... imagine my shock...
I am actually wondering if Apple is trying to introduce a whole bunch of controlled leaks that are fake, just to muddy the water. Because, if you don't have any info about the product, it is just as good as having a lot of info 95% of which is incorrect. Both will create excitement, since it is impossible to know beforehand what the product actually looks like.

metriacanthosaurus · July 11, 2017 2:35PM

anton zuykov said:

since it is impossible to know beforehand what the product actually looks like.

Eh....tell that to the last several years of iPhone releases, where the entire product was visually established before its launch. It is always slightly off, but close enough to indicate what it looks like.

Little doubt that this image is indeed of a back panel of an iPhone 8.

yahtzee · July 11, 2017 3:21PM

Why is the lack of a cutout for Touch ID on the BACK panel interesting? Its always been on the front.

anton zuykov · July 11, 2017 4:35PM

Metriacanthosaurus said:

anton zuykov said:

since it is impossible to know beforehand what the product actually looks like.

Eh....tell that to the last several years of iPhone releases, where the entire product was visually established before its launch.

That is because Apple wasn't prepared to deal with that back then. I don't know, if that is what Apple is actually doing right now, but I would definitely spend just a bit more resources on creating a whole bunch of fake panels and other parts, and leak them so that they appear as legitimate leaks, making analysts busy. In other words, in the supply chain, those blueprints and how Apple treats them, should not be any different from the actual parts.

The reason it was so clear in the previous cycles, was because all those leaks were leaks of the real product only. If Apple were to introduce a lot of info noise into that system, they would be the only player who actually knows what is going on. Don't see any reason, why that is not doable now. Apple simply needs to take that seriously, that is all...

edited July 2017

strangedays · July 11, 2017 7:41PM

anton zuykov said:

well... imagine my shock...
I am actually wondering if Apple is trying to introduce a whole bunch of controlled leaks that are fake, just to muddy the water. Because, if you don't have any info about the product, it is just as good as having a lot of info 95% of which is incorrect. Both will create excitement,

Apple doesn’t need to secretly release leaks in order to build excitement – every year iphone sells out in minutes after launch, causing supply constraint and delays until more can be built to meet the insane demand. The consumer excitement is already there, well beyond manufacturing capability.

foggyhill · July 11, 2017 9:13PM

yahtzee said:

Why is the lack of a cutout for Touch ID on the BACK panel interesting? Its always been on the front.

Because there has been a lot remours about Apple having problem putting touch ID under glass.

If the Iphone 8 is nearly all glass and the touch ID is not under glass, it is either on the sides (still possible) or behind (Always thought improbable here cause it is an usability nightmare).

lowededwookie · July 11, 2017 10:12PM

I'm not buying the idea of vertical lenses. It will never provide the correct image. Think about it, how are your eyes placed? They are not vertical they are horizontal for the explicit reason that it provides correct depth perception.

A vertical arrangement will break Portrait mode that looks so great on iPhone 7 Plus.

lordehawk · July 12, 2017 12:12AM

lowededwookie said:

I'm not buying the idea of vertical lenses. It will never provide the correct image. Think about it, how are your eyes placed? They are not vertical they are horizontal for the explicit reason that it provides correct depth perception.

A vertical arrangement will break Portrait mode that looks so great on iPhone 7 Plus.

You make an interesting assessment, assuming that as AR becomes ubiquitous, landscape will not be the standard. I might also point out that offset images are required for stereoscopic vision, the arrangement is null as long as the camera logic has the details. If you're floating in space, which direction is up? Apple could also be expecting us to use our phones a lot in landscape for some reason.

As Apple builds more features into the camera such as infinite focus (or whatever they're working on), their reasons will come into focus...

Supposed 'iPhone 8' back panel without Touch ID resurfaces in new leak

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