iPhone 8 News And Rumors: Flagship Loses Huge Feature, Gains Unique Tricks

The iPhone 8 is still months away, but rumors and leaks are already piling up about the device. While Apple is yet to confirm or debunk any of the information that has emerged about the upcoming flagship so far, the content of the rumors alone seems to show that Apple would be putting a lot of effort in the iPhone 8. Considering the most recent reports about the device, however, the final iteration of the iPhone 8 might be a bit different from what fans of the device are currently expecting.

Since rumors about the iPhone 8 began to emerge after the launch of the iPhone 7 last year, it has been widely speculated that the 2018 flagship would include a revolutionary form of wireless charging, courtesy of Apple’s alleged partnership with Energous, a tech firm which has developed long-range wireless charging technologies. These speculations then sparked the idea of the iPhone 8 having long-range wireless charging capabilities, which would be far more advanced than those found in rivals such as the Galaxy S8.

According to an AppleInsider report, however, this otherwise game-changing feature would not actually make it to the iPhone 8. Instead, the report stated that it is more likely for Apple to opt for Qi wireless charging, which requires direct contact between the smartphone and a wireless charging pad. If this particular speculation proves true, Apple would be missing out on a huge possible selling point for the iPhone 8, considering that long-range wireless charging is completely absent in the smartphone world as of date.

?? #Apple may switch to #OLED with a big 5.8-inch screen on #iPhone8 but it’ll cost a lot ?#Mobile #MWC17https://t.co/67Fs3IwfJK @Mixtatiq pic.twitter.com/QkPVrxqd6d

— Anthony Schmitt Financial Services | Trader (@BourseetTrading) March 6, 2017

While the possible loss of Energous’ 15-ft wireless charging technologies is disheartening, a number of new rumors about the iPhone 8 are actually quite encouraging. Among these are changes to Apple’s traditional protocols and a number of features that would more than make up for the removal of the iPhone 8’s seemingly ill-fated revolutionary charging capabilities.

Among the most prominent of these is the speculation that the iPhone 8 would follow the 12-inch MacBook and the 2016 MacBook Pro in completely embracing USB Type-C as its connector of choice, according to a PC Advisor report. If this rumor proves true, Apple would be taking a giant leap forward, considering that its mobile devices have religiously utilized the company’s Lightning connector since 2012. Inasmuch as a shift from Lightning to USB Type-C is quite unlikely, however, a move to the port actually makes a lot of sense.

This is because apart from its mobile devices, Apple has arguably been the most dedicated tech firm when it comes to embracing USB Type-C. Apple started this with the 12-inch MacBook’s debut back in 2015, following it up last year with the release of the 2016 MacBook Pro. In fact, Apple is so dedicated to the USB-C port that it completely did away with any other connectors in its laptops. Thus, if Apple implements the same strategy for its mobile devices, it should not come as a big surprise.

Apart from a possible move to USB-C, the iPhone 8 is also rumored to pack a far more efficient and formidable battery system. According to speculations, the iPhone 8, while keeping a compact footprint, would feature a battery almost the same size as the one found in the iPhone 7 Plus, a far larger device. This would be made possible by stacking the iPhone 8’s logic board, enabling Apple to put larger cells on the otherwise smaller smartphone.

Considering that smartphone users have been very particular about the endurance of their devices, Apple’s decision to employ a different strategy with the iPhone 8’s battery would most likely play in the Cupertino-based tech giant’s favor. Plus, the iPhone 8’s OLED display, which is all but confirmed at this point, would also aid in improving the upcoming flagship’s battery life.

Lastly, rumors are also high that the iPhone 8 would be equipped with Intel’s latest LTE modem, which would enable the device to achieve download speeds of up to 1Gbps through mobile internet. If this seems a bit overkill, it is because the technology to offer such internet speeds has not been debuted by mobile carriers yet. Thus, cellular data-wise, it appears that the iPhone 8 would be, in more ways than one, future-proof.

The iPhone 8 is rumored for a release sometime this September, though no official date has been leaked or announced by Apple. Pricing for the iPhone 8 remains unconfirmed, but speculations are high that the upcoming flagship device might come with a price tag north of $1000.

[Featured Image by Stephen Lam/Getty Images]