Next iPhone: what should you expect tomorrow?

Call it the iPhone 7s, iPhone 8 or (if the latest report is to be believed) the iPhone X. Either way, the latest generation of iPhones are set for launch on 12 September.

We’ve been keeping our rumour roundup article updated on the regular. But here’s what we know (or think we know) about the new lineup.

Models

The consensus seems to be that we’re going to get three new iPhones at the launch. So how does it all work?

There’s the standard iPhone, the Plus-sized iPhone and then the expensive iPhone X or whatever it’ll be called. The latter has seen loads of rumours, mostly centred on its design and a few other specs. But it’s also been claimed that it will have a US$999 price tag.

Specs

Apple’s A11 processor is a lock for the new phones though, following in the footsteps of the A8, A9 and A10. So what can we expect here?

The latest leak claims that the A11 processor will be a hexacore chip, while the standard iPhone will pack 2GB of RAM and the other two models will feature 3GB of RAM.

The company traditionally designs its own chips, generally delivering single-core performance (and GPU performance) that soundly beats the competition. Otherwise, we’re expecting a move to a 10nm manufacturing process for better battery life and sustained performance — much like the MediaTek Helio X30, Samsung Exynos 8895 and Snapdragon 835.

The Cupertino company may have split from Imagination Technologies for graphics silicon, but we’re expecting the divorce to only really take effect from 2018. Expect PowerVR graphics in the next iPhone yet, is what we’re saying. But the 2018 iPhone and beyond are expected to make use of in-house graphics silicon.

Apple is also set to incorporate OLED screens for the first time, capable of blacker blacks and richer colours than LCD technology. However, initial reports on the matter found that OLED screens were only coming to the premium iPhone. It’s unclear if this has changed.

Reports have also stated that wireless charging will be in the new iPhones, being long overdue compared to Samsung devices.

Design

It seems like we already know what one or all of the new iPhones will look like. Leaks from Apple and third parties have revealed an iPhone that takes the Essential Phone approach.

So that means a high screen/body ratio with thin borders on all sides, while the top of the phone sees the screen wrap around the earpiece and selfie camera. In fact, Apple’s code/image leaks have shown this approach. Again, Essential did it first, but it’s a striking look anyway.

The new phone also seems to adopt a vertically stacked approach to the camera housing, rather than the side-by-side approach of the iPhone 7 Plus. We’re also expecting the IP68 design and lack of an earphone jack to persist.

Will this design apply to all new iPhones at launch? We’re not sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the cheaper models adopt some of the changes.

What about security?

One of the more intriguing stories of 2017 has been the apparent failed bid by Samsung and others to incorporate under-screen fingerprint scanners into their new phones. It really looks like 2018 or 2019 will be the year for this tech.

Apple is no exception, the rumour mill suggests, with widespread reports that the company will ditch Touch ID due to the inability to add it under the screen. Instead, the company is apparently set to use facial recognition of some sort. No word if this will be easy to spoof, but chances are good that the company will say it’s better than Android’s older efforts.

The new iPhone range is expected to pack facial recognition and more

How would this process look? A developer has leaked the setup process, apparently.

Code leaks do point to facial recognition tech using infrared cameras too, supposedly for low-light authentication and better authentication in general.

Nevertheless, one July report by Forbes noted that the power button was larger, raising the question of a Sony-like scanner location.

Software

This is the one department that often proves difficult to crack, and this year has been no exception. So what do we know thus far?

Bloomberg says that Apple is testing gesture-based navigation for iOS on the new iPhones. That means swiping up on a new app dock to open the app grid, and doing the same when in an app to initiate multitasking.

It could all be a test for the 2018 iPhone but don’t be surprised if Apple incorporates a few of these features nonetheless. However, I’d bet on the virtual home button staying, much like last year’s iPhone and the Galaxy S8.

New video quality options?

Aside from the Sony Xperia XZ Premium, we haven’t seen much traction when it comes to new video recording options this year. But Apple looks like it could be in the pound seats again.

According to the iOS 11 master leak, the new iPhones will be capable of 240fps slow-mo at a sharp 1080p (as opposed to 720p) and a smooth 4K video at 60 frames per second.