Apple's patents that have been granted this week likely reveal a stack of interesting camera updates for the iPhone 8, according to CNET. The patent application titled 'Optimizing Capture of Focus Stacks' was originally published last December.

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The upcoming iPhone 8 will likely feature focus stacking, a significant improvement to iPhone 7 Plus' current fake bokeh 'portrait' mode; depth-map creation for augmented reality apps; and capabilities to choose area of focus and generate without bokeh (visual quality of the out-of-focus areas) photos.

Focus stacking snaps photos while repeating through several focus areas at successive distances. Then, the stack of pictures are combined using the sharpest pixel from each, thus producing a completely sharp image, CNET reported. Moreover, it could offer a variety of other options, granting that the camera stored all the image data such as using the focus distance-to-subject from each shot to make the scene's depth map.

Currently, an iPhone only take two shots to separate the subject from the background. And in order to perform focus stacking which requires users to refocus the lens quickly and accurately a new hardware (likely a new camera module) and new software are definitely a must.

With just this recent, intriguing camera leak plus other featured-packed updates, Apple's move to kick off iPhone 8's production ahead of schedule could be totally understandable.

According to several leaks, the iPhone 8 will be the first device to showcase a curved, edge-to-edge OLED display. Reports also suggest Apple will ditch the classic physical home button sensor and incorporate the Touch ID directly into the screen instead.

It will also feature advanced biometrics including facial recognition and even iris scanning. Covered with all glass and equipped with wireless charging technology, the iPhone 8 will be powered by the faster and more-efficient A11 chipset.