With the anticipated unveiling of the iPhone 8 this month, official news about the specs and features of the upcoming device will finally be revealed. However, the 10th-anniversary smartphone could be launched with a different name.
According to the latest reports, it is possible that the iPhone 8 will be released as the iPhone Edition instead. This is contrary to the norm of naming the iPhone using an iterative numbering or giving an additional "s" moniker to indicate an upgrade.
9to5Mac first reported on the iPhone 8's name change based on details revealed to the publication by sources at the IFA 2017 trade show in Berlin last week. Given what the insiders gleaned from iPhone case makers in Shenzhen, China, there will be three new iPhone units that will be unboxed during the September Apple keynote event. These are the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone Edition.
Trusted Reviews noted that there may be truth in the rumor, especially with case makers already printing out the names of the new iPhone models. However, it is possible that there will still be changes prior to the iPhone 8 or iPhone Edition's reveal this month, so the public is advised to take the initial rumors with a grain of salt.
Meanwhile, the upcoming iPhone 8 is expected to be the most expensive unit yet in the flagship series. It is reported that the base iPhone 8 model will receive a selling price of as high as $1,000. To compare, an iPhone 7 Plus unit already costs $969.
The heavy price tag may be justified, given that the iPhone 8 will be powered by the latest A11 chipset, which boasts of greater performance compared to the current iPhone units.
The iPhone 8 — or iPhone Edition, if the rumors are correct — will be revealed at the Cupertino-based tech giant's keynote event on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Aside from the new iPhone, it is expected that the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus will also be unveiled during the event.
