All eyes are set for the Cupertino stage in September this year for Apple to make their announcement on the next flagship iPhone, the iPhone 7. However, market analysts and researchers predict that Apple would probably bring in a minor change in the iPhone 7 and go big with the iPhone 8 next year. They also predict that Apple could also skip the iPhone 7 altogether.
According to a report on Fortune, Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz mentions that the Apple will probably skip the iPhone 7 this year or simply bring out a similar iPhone this year with marginal upgrades to the older sibling. Similar to how Apple has been launching the ‘s’ variant each year with partial hardware upgrades under the same old hood, September 2016 could also see a similar upgraded handset with an A10 chipset and eliminate the headphone jack for a Lightning port audio output. The body (with tad differences) and display could remain the same.
However, with a recent deal struck with Samsung, Apple could be going big with the iPhone 8 (Which is probably under heavy development or in its final test phase) by adding the Super AMOLED display. This could probably mean that Apple could also skip the home button to help make the display larger than before. Other features could be an addition of the much-awaited wireless charging feature and possible curved displays. Some even predict that the usual metal rear panel will be replaced with the iPhone 4-like glass back.
As for the elimination of the headphone jack and switching to the Lightning port for audio, it seems a little dicey since Apple would throw a bomb on third-party headphone manufactures and render millions of wired headphones obsolete. This would also affect the audio-jack enabled magnetic strip credit/debit card readers that are currently in use.
Apple, according to the analyst, could be dropping the ‘s’ model completely. The prediction for the iPhone 8 looks like the company is planning a major design change. He also added that the sales for Apple would boost by a whopping 10 per cent if they decide to launch the iPhone 8 in 2017.
As for now, these are speculations based on research, market and analysis and it is too early to say what Apple will finally bring out. Apple will (as usual) only speak about it at the press event.
