iPhone 8 Release Date, Rumors: Overdue Features The Flagship Model Must Have

The iPhone 8 is expected to feature most of the upgrades and updates that were absent in its predecessor, the rather underwhelming iPhone 7. While it is quite obvious that Apple held out on the upgrades for its current flagship model, the iPhone 8’s specs and features appear to be on a completely different level. In fact, if the rumors prove accurate and the iPhone 8 does see a September 2017 release date, the mobile market might very well witness the reveal of the year’s number one smartphone.

The iPhone 8 is still months away, but it has already attracted the attention of numerous smartphone fans; many of whom are feverishly waiting for the upcoming device’s release. While Apple has yet to confirm the actual release date of the device, speculation is high that the iPhone 8, iPhone 7S, and iPhone 7S Plus would see a September 2017 release date. These particular rumors are well-grounded, considering that the Cupertino-based tech giant has followed a September release date for its iPhones since 2012.

While the release date of the iPhone 8 is all but confirmed, rumors about the upcoming flagship device’s features and specs are still pretty much open for speculation. Currently, the rumor mill states that the iPhone 8 would feature a new, borderless design, an A11 processor, an improved camera system and A.I.-driven security features. Besides these, however, the iPhone 8 is also rumored to be equipped with several killer features. Here are three of the most notable.

Wireless Charging

Rumors of the iPhone 8 featuring some form of wireless charging have been abounding for months, with speculations suggesting that the upcoming flagship device would be equipped with a revolutionary technology that would allow users to charge their smartphones up to 15 ft. away. While these rumors remain unconfirmed, a recent Reuters report stating that Apple has as many as five dedicated groups working on the iPhone 8’s wireless charging capabilities suggest that the Cupertino-based tech giant is indeed taking the technology very seriously.

In a lot of ways, wireless charging on an iPhone has long been overdue. The device’s arch-rival, the Galaxy S-series, has had wireless charging features for years. However, considering Apple’s reputation, its take on wireless charging might very well be revolutionary. After all, Apple has always been known to hold back on its devices’ features unless it could implement the technology perfectly.

2K OLED Display

OLED displays have been around the iPhone 8’s competitors for a very long time. In fact, it has become common among midrange phones in the Android market to feature a high-resolution OLED display. Apple, for its part, has stubbornly refused to adopt the screen, sticking to a more conventional TFT-LCD panel instead. This, unfortunately, makes the iPhone’s displays downright inferior when compared to its competitors’ OLED screens. With the iPhone 8, however, it appears that Apple is finally ready to catch up to the competition.

Apart from finally adopting OLED technology, however, Apple is rumored to equip the iPhone 8 with a very impressive 2K screen, according to a PC Advisor report. Doing so allows the iPhone 8 to compete against the resolution monsters in the smartphone industry, such as the upcoming Galaxy S8 and even the Galaxy Note 8, which are rumored to feature 2K and 4K screens, respectively.

Mini Touch Bar

One thing that Apple could definitely utilize with the iPhone 8 would be a smaller variation of the 2016 MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. Rumors of a mini Touch Bar for the iPhone 8 began gaining ground recently, after concept videos of the upcoming flagship adopting the technology emerged. While unconfirmed by the tech giant, the premise of the iPhone 8 having a dedicated touch panel at the bottom of the display that changes depending on the device’s active apps is a very compelling idea.

After all, the Touch Bar is something that is so far unique to Apple. If the Cupertino-based tech giant adopts it in the iPhone 8, there is a good chance that it could end up as one of the killer features of the upcoming device. Apart from making the flagship innovative, the mini Touch Bar could vastly increase the efficiency and productivity capabilities of the iPhone 8, considering that the dedicated strip changes depending on what applications are being run by the user.

The iPhone 8 is definitely one of the most anticipated devices set to hit the market this year. With the Galaxy S8, Note 8, the LG G6 and the Google Pixel 2 set to be revealed later this year, Apple’s iPhone 8 has some very tough competition to conquer. If Apple plays its cards right and equips the iPhone 8 with these killer features, however, the road to smartphone dominance in 2017 might very well be as smooth as it could get for the Cupertino-based tech giant.

[Featured Image by Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images]