There’s a new rumour making rounds on the Internet, and this one has “iPhone” written all over it. Most of the hearsay suggests that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is soon set to launch the successor of iPhone 7 – call it iPhone 8 or iPhone 7s – promising some spectacular features to steal the spotlight on the 10th anniversary of iPhone. Just like every rumor has some exciting bits, this rumour is no exception. So, here’s the interesting bit that has left all iPhone enthusiasts a tad tizzy all over the globe.
First off is the rumour on the mysterious new “iPhone X”. We’re being led to believe that Apple is all set to ditch their conventional naming pattern (going by which, the upcoming phone should have been named the iPhone 8), and will go with something as curious and obscure as “iPhone X”. Edgy, twitchy enthusiasts have gone one step further and suggested several possible reasons as to why Apple would opt for a name-changing move like this. While most of the iPhone fan-fiction is an interesting read, it’s probably best to just wait till the cat is out of the bag!
There’s also an interesting piece going around, speculating on Apple’s new iPhone being an absolute stunner in terms of design. With an edge-to-edge display that seamlessly blends into the body and an AMOLED display for brilliant colours and viewing angles, the upcoming iPhone could be a masterpiece.
Research conducted by Cowen and Company hints that the next iPhone could include gesture/facial recognition enabled by laser sensors. The only data backing this information is the fact that Tim Cook has been caught on record several times over the last year talking about Augmented Reality and how Apple intends to probe into it. The research team led by analyst Timothy Arcuri also hints at several enhancements and additional features, including OLED screens, a wraparound design, and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. If these prophecies are indeed true, the said: “iPhone X”/”iPhone 8” will be a game-changer.
Apart from those more pronounced speculations talked about so far, there are few subtle but anticipated features such as wireless charging over long-ranges, performance and design improvements, and a 16MP camera. There’s even a concept iPhone 8 that throws together some of these radical new features.
Now, after getting a peek into the rumors, the next question is: when could we expect the new iPhone to launch?
This shouldn’t call for a prolonged discussion since Apple almost ritualistically saves the more succulent of its announcements for the month of September each year. But people appear to be “bracing themselves” for any sort of surprises that Apple may choose to throw their way- after all this year marks the 10th anniversary since the first iPhone was launched. If the release of the new iPhone is indeed poised for September 2017, then we’re all looking at seven whole months of fan-fiction, rumours, and juicy little phone–spec leaks. Let’s not, for even a moment, forget that speculations on the next iPhone model had already begun merely two months after the iPhone 7 was launched in September last year.
So, why is the upcoming iPhone a critical launch for Apple?
- If all said rumours on the new iPhone are true, Apple would be making a bold move in the direction of innovation– and now is as good a time as any. Considering the criticism Apple has frequently received for its rather lax approach towards innovation, an “iPhone X” with facial recognition, an OLED screen, and Touch ID fingerprint sensor, will bring Apple so many steps closer to arch rivals, Google and Microsoft, in the innovation space.
- The launch of the iPhone 7 was rather disappointing- Apple, having only made a few tweaks and upgrades to previous models, iPhone 7 was a letdown. It could be argued that the move was strategic- with Apple looking to build up an eager and anticipatory fan following for its major 2017 iPhone released. Whether or not this new launch lives up to the hype is something only time will tell.
- Global competitors Samsung and Apple, and smaller but fierce players in the smartphone space such as Huawei and Redmi, seem to be on a roll with constant upgrades, incremental device innovations, and steady growth. The ball is now in Apple’s court, and they ought to make this shot count.
- 2017 brings with it Apple’s 10th year of the iPhone. What better way to celebrate this milestone than with the release of a spectacular new iPhone- A bold step to propel the company ahead in the market!
- The market share of Apple iPhone is declining, and the company is facing criticism for not innovating iPhone enough to meet the users’ expectations.
- Many Android smartphone OEMs are claiming to offer more power and superior features with their premium devices, like Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Huawei P9, and OnePlus 3T, than iPhone, at very competitive price. This has got Tim Cook and team under tremendous pressure to escalate the game beyond hardware and standard features.
