Edge-to-edge display, thicker design, vertical camera
Okay, we get it, you’re sick of rumors by now. But this looks to be the most accurate and trustworthy iPhone 8 mockup yet – and it’s very shiny.
Pictures have surfaced online showing a beautifully rendered 3D model of Apple’s next flagship device, assumed to be named the iPhone 8. The images were created by the well-known Onleaks and are, apparently, based on leaked CAD images straight from Apple. Onleaks has a good track record with pre-release renders, and the fact that these are based on leaked blueprints means we get to see a mockup with accurate dimensions for the first time.
It doesn’t look too different, but this is a glass and steel design to replace the existing aluminum chassis
These images confirm a huge reduction in bezels, allowing for an almost edge-to-edge OLED display. The dimensions (143.5 x 70.9 x 7.7mm, if you were wondering) clock in at a touch larger than an iPhone 7 but a fair bit smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus. Thanks to the reduction in bezels – with just a small cutout at the top for the front camera and receiver speaker – it still crams in a 5.5-inch display, the same size currently seen on the larger iPhone 7 Plus. Notably, it’s a bit thicker than both models of iPhone 7 – unusual for Apple’s design team, who have been almost relentlessly obsessed with thinness under the watchful eye of Design Chief Jony Ive. Maybe that means a bigger battery this year…
Oh Apple, when will you learn we want a flush camera?
Other important details are the lack of a physical Home button, implying that Touch ID will be embedded beneath the display somehow. There were rumors that Apple would move the fingerprint sensor to the rear of the device, but there’s no sign of this on the CAD docs and it’s thought this would only be a last resort in case production problems make the alternatives impossible. Also note the vertical twin-lens camera alignment on the back, which could be used for 3D or augmented reality features. Sadly, it looks like the infamous camera bump remains though, protruding more than 1mm from the back of the device.
As always, remember this is not official – we trust the source, but it’s possible this is one of several official designs and not the final choice. Regardless, it’s the closest thing we’ve seen yet to a true impression of what the iPhone 8 will look like.
One question remains: is it different enough to turn heads?