Nothing about the iPhone 8 has been confirmed by Apple and reports touching on build, design, specs and features of the upcoming handset mostly relied on leaked details and rumors. However, a new report that supposedly suggested the iPhone 9 specifications, to come out in 2018, seems to indicate what the 2017 iPhone will be.
The report from the Korea Herald and picked up by MacRumors claimed the iPhone next year will be limited to two models as opposed to three iPhone editions to touch down this year - the iPhone 8, the regular iPhone 7S and the iPhone 7S Plus. The iPhone 9 will boast of a 5.28-inch screen that likely will replace the 4.7-inch model and a supersized 6.46-inch display, which will be the 2018 edition of the iPhone Plus.
The details were drawn from the business agreement between Apple and Samsung, in which the latter will provide volume OLED shipment to the tune of 180 million units.
While the Korean report focused on the iPhone 9, it inevitably shed light on Apple's iPhone roadmap, specifically the plan to use OLED panel for future iPhone models and to upsize the display panel from the current form factor. It makes sense that Apple prepares to fully integrate OLED on its iPhone supply chain, the initiative will actually commence with the iPhone 8 this year.
Somehow, this provided more leg to the assumption that the iPhone 8 as the most premium of the 2017 lineup will have an OLED display coming out of the box. And another interesting nugget of information is the supposed shift to an OLED-centered design that likely will start out this year and will be in full play by 2018, benefitting the two iPhone 9 models.
As observed by 9to5Mac in a related report, "Apple would be introducing another change in iPhone form factor in 2018. Contrast that scenario to the iPhone 7, which uses the same general chassis design as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s."
The start of this design shift by Apple could be seen in the few days ahead if rumors are true that the iPhone 8 might be given a sneak peek via the Apple WWDC 2017 that will kick off on June 5. The device release date, however, will not happen until later in the year.