Apple iPhone 8 / Edition prototype reportedly spotted; All-glass back dropped

Apple iPhones — The Apple iPhone through the years. Apple

Apple’s upcoming 10th anniversary iPhone is expected to be full of new features, and some of those have been widely reported for some time. A new report, though, debunks a couple of the iPhone 8’s expected features, and claims that a prototype that’s nearing finalisation not only has a different story, but also a different name.

Over the last couple of months, a lot of the iPhone 8’s supposed specs and features have surfaced. The upcoming Apple smartphone is expected to be packed with new enhancements never before seen in previous models. While some features have been reported with consistency, such as wireless charging and IP68 certification, others like the OLED display / fingerprint sensor integration have been rather questionable.

Now, a new report claims that the iPhone 8 is set to feature a fingerprint scanner on the back of the handset. This contradicts previous assumptions that the Cupertino, California-based tech titan is adding some type of Touch ID technology underneath the OLED display. According to the iDrop News report, which cites a source “who has spoken privately with a Foxconn employee,” Apple may indeed have the technology, but it could be unstable for product usage.

The report, which reiterates the previous buzz that the upcoming Apple handset would carry the name iPhone Edition instead of iPhone 8, also claims that a “final-stage iPhone Edition prototype” with a vertical dual-lens rear camera setup “has been spotted.” The source also reportedly said that the various speculations regarding the upcoming iPhone’s all-glass back are incorrect, and that the iPhone Edition prototype supposedly furnishes a metal back plate.

“Apple’s decision to switch to metal over glass was authorised due to the tendency glass has to shatter when dropped,” the report states. “A metal backing will prove to be sturdier than glass, prolonging the life of the Apple’s soon-to-be flagship iPhone Edition.”

The report, of course, has to be taken with a grain of salt, as the source certainly isn’t considered to be reputable and has no previous track record of accurate leaks. It also includes some “developed visualisations” that supposedly looks like the said iPhone Edition prototype. The mock-ups show a smartphone that can be genuinely mistaken for the new Samsung Galaxy S8. It has no side bezels and features considerably reduced top and bottom bezels, just like the South Korean electronics giant’s new flagship.

The Apple iPhone 8 / Edition is expected to launch in September. The premium 10th anniversary iPhone is estimated to sell for roughly US$1,000 (AU$1,300).

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