The upcoming iPhone 8 now has a name, and it's not something fans would expect.
According to reports, Apple has already named its most awaited 10th-anniversary flagship iPhone. The "iPhone Edition" will be launched later this year, along with the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus — making it the company's most complicated launch ever. The device will sport a 5-inch screen and its body will be made up of a range new materials like ceramic and glass, as well as their usual aluminum case.
While some rumors have claimed the screen will be curved, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, multiple sources are now pointing to a flat display. IHS Markit analyst Wayne Lam spoke with Mac Rumors on Friday and he said the iPhone 8 might no longer follow the growing trend of curved screens. Instead, it will have a flat organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen.
"We anticipate Apple will adopt a flat implementation of OLED design on their special iPhone model, which is analogous to the current 2.5D glass design," Lam said. "Much like the recently announced LG G6, we anticipate a touchscreen with a new longer aspect ratio design to take advantage of higher coverage area of the iPhone in its entirety. This new design language is expected to become the trend for 2017, as we all anticipate Samsung's reveal later this month."
The analyst is referring to the LG G6's 2:1 aspect ratio, as compared to the iPhone's usual 16:9 aspect ratio.
Meanwhile, BGR reports that the iPhone 8 could also feature an on-screen fingerprint scanner. The tech giant hinted in different patents that it's been developing various ways to add fingerprint-sensing features to screens without affecting the display's main purpose. The smartphone is also expected to introduce its own iris-scanning solution like the Samsung Galaxy S8's iris sensor and state-of-the-art facial recognition technology.
The iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus and iPhone Edition are all coming out this year, but Apple has yet to announce an official release date for its three new smartphones.
