The team over at iDownloadBlog have dug out some gorgeous-looking renders from Steel Drake, conceptualizing what a nearly all-glass design could look like.
After three years of no big iPhone redesign, it’s expected that the so-called “iPhone 8” will buck that trend this year. It’s been speculated that we’ll see a return to a “glass sandwich” design with steel edges, similar to to iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Chemically strengthened glass could be at least as durable as the aluminum shell currently used, and there are other benefits to using glass as well – it’s thin, light, and less prone to scratches than most alternatives. These renders show off one fan’s expectations of what that could look like.
It’s worth noting that despite how new and shiny these images look, the concept designs are actually from way back in 2014. They’re not a direct response to any of the current rumors flying around about the iPhone 8. However, they’ve resurfaced recently thanks to considerable similarities with the current expectations, and we think it remains a remarkable concept. Minus the bezels and the headphone jack. If nothing else it shows that people have been expecting Apple to return to a glass-and-steel design for several years now.
Data suggests that the unchanged design of last year’s iPhone 7 hurt sales, so prepare to see something new this year. You can follow the rest of our iPhone 8 rumors right here.
How would you feel if the next iPhone looked like this? If you like what you see, it’s worth looking through Steel Drake’s entire concept gallery.