iPhone 8 update: New Apple smartphone may come in 3 sizes, all with glass back covers

Apple is expected to celebrate ten years of mobile industry dominance next year with a bang. iPhone fanatics are hoping that the tech giant will come up with something grandiose to commemorate the milestone. There have already been rumours making rounds online regarding the iPhone 8, Apple’s follow-up to the currently available iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Word has it that the iPhone’s current design will be scrapped and completely overhauled for the 2017 model. The Apple smartphone’s present look was first used two years ago on the iPhone 6. On Wednesday, new information surfaced to support that case.

According to GSMArena, an unnamed source disclosed that the iPhone 8 will abandon the current aluminium back cover and will instead utilise glass housing behind it. The glass back cover will make it easy for Apple to transition its smartphone to equip wireless charging support, which the company intends to do with the iPhone 8. The back covers will be supposedly provided by the China-based manufacturer Biel Crystal Manufactory and Lens Technology. The front panel and the back cover will reportedly be secured together by a metal frame.

It is currently not known what the frame will be made of. GSMArena speculates the material to be either aluminium or stainless steel.

The biggest rumour, though, is that next year’s iPhone 8 will come in three variants instead of the current two. Joining the regular 4.7-inch iPhone 8 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus will be a median 5-inch model, according to the report. It is expected that the same internal specs and core will be utilised for all three future iPhones.

The iPhone 8 Plus is reportedly going to don a dual-curved Super AMOLED display to be created by Samsung, while the two smaller models will use LTPS LCD screens like both the iPhone 7 units.