How many iPhones are coming out this year?
For the last few months, we’ve had the overwhelming impression that Apple will be announcing three new iPhones this September: a flashy new “iPhone 8” with a brand new design, alongside an “iPhone 7S” and “iPhone 7S Plus,” more straightforward refreshes of Apple’s existing models.
However, a new rumor from China suggests otherwise. The report states that Apple will launch just two iPhones, large and small versions of the all-new iPhone 8 design. This flies in the face of pretty much every other outlet, and so should be taken with a large pinch of salt – but reportedly, insiders from Foxconn have received an order for just two new models.
As pointed out by MacRumors, it’s rare for supply chain rumors to buck the trend this late in the day so this is an interesting proposition. Two levels of a premium-tier iPhone would make sense in one regard, but with rumors that this will be the costliest iPhone ever, perhaps it’s smart to offer a cheaper model for those not bothered by the new features. Then again, if you’re not bothered by the new features then why not just stick with last year’s offering?
The iPhone 8 (or possibly “iPhone Edition”) looks set to rock a glass and steel chassis with an edge-to-edge OLED display, vertical rear cameras and no Home button. For more on the iPhone 8, why not read some of our previous news stories.