It is said that the recently-released iPhone 7 is an interim flagship before Apple puts a major redesign and overhaul plan for the iPhone lineup. Speculations suggest that next year's release, the iPhone 8, will feature major improvements including Touch ID in the display itself.
Forbes reports that the Cupertino-based company has been working on this feature since 2014. Apple has reportedly made a filing at the USPTO for the technology, incorporating a Touch ID-style sensor beneath the display glass. Using capacitive sensors and tiny electrical current, the sensor reads user fingerprints accurately, even beneath the protective glass display.
Should this feature be included in the iPhone, the upcoming flagship is expected to come out with a major redesign. For one, having an integrated Touch ID feature means that Apple will ditch the physical home button that comes with the Touch ID sensor, switching to the already-included virtual home button in the iOS platform. In addition, without the physical home button, Apple will more likely redesign the display itself, coming out with a near bezel-less display for the iPhone 8.
An edge-to-edge display has already been rumored about before for the iPhone 8, and with the recent speculations on ditching the home button, a whole display area on the front panel for the next iPhone is certainly possible. However, it is more likely that a thin bezel strip will still be located on the top part of the front panel since it will still house the front camera, earpiece, and sensors for the iPhone 8.
Aside from the major redesign of the front panel, the whole body of the iPhone 8 is also said to receive a major overhaul next year. Apple is rumored to switch to an all-glass construction for its next product lineups, starting with the next iPhone. Under the hood, it is also expected that the iPhone 8 will receive a huge jump over the specs and features of its predecessor, the current-generation iPhone 7.
