$1,000? That's Not the Most Shocking iPhone 8 Rumor

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A new report says Apple may not include any physical buttons at all on the iPhone 8, which would be a radical design change.

If you've been following all of the iPhone 8 rumors, you might have a good sense of what to expect, from an OLED display and less stupid Siri to the lack of a Touch ID button. The latter would be integrated into the screen.

But a new report says the iPhone 8, which could be called the iPhone X (for the iPhone's 10th anniversary) might not have any buttons at all. Huh? Oh, and it could easily cost $1,000.

Credit: Techconfigurations/YouTube

(Image credit: Techconfigurations/YouTube)

According to Fast Company, "there's a chance that the physical buttons on the sides of the iPhone may go away...replaced by touch-sensitive inlays in the metal."

That would be a radical departure for the iPhone line, which has had the trusty ringer switch and volume buttons since the very beginning. Would consumers be comfortable with the lack of any true buttons?

MORE: If the iPhone 8 Looks Like This, the Galaxy S8 Is in Trouble

It could be that Apple was getting us ready with the iPhone 7, which turned the Touch ID button into a virtual button via a taptic engine. The button doesn't really depress, it just feels like it does.

As for the $1,000 price, Fast Company reports that the iPhone 8/X could reach that threshold because Apple is likely paying twice as much for the OLED screens. The site also mentions that that the flagship could use more memory, and RAM prices are going up.

The current iPhone 7 Plus costs $969 for the 256GB version, and the 128GB and 32GB models cost $868 and $769, respectively. So it's not outlandish to say that the iPhone 8 will start at around $1,000. Just a few days ago, a report surfaced that the Galaxy S8 could go for close to $1,000.

But Tim Cook & Co. are going to have to bring other features to the table to justify the premium. These could include facial recognition or perhaps unique augmented reality features. The latest reports have wireless charging coming to all three new iPhones, including the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, so Apple will need something else to get us excited.

The iPhone 8 could indeed cause sticker shock, but the biggest shock of all would be the bold move to go completely buttonless.

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Mark Spoonauer
Mark Spoonauer

Mark Spoonauer is the global editor in chief of Tom's Guide and has covered technology for over 20 years. In addition to overseeing the direction of Tom's Guide, Mark specializes in covering all things mobile, having reviewed dozens of smartphones and other gadgets. He has spoken at key industry events and appears regularly on TV to discuss the latest trends, including Cheddar, Fox Business and other outlets. Mark was previously editor in chief of Laptop Mag, and his work has appeared in Wired, Popular Science and Inc. Follow him on Twitter at @mspoonauer.

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6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • Daekar3
    Going buttonless takes courage, right Mr. Cook?

    I hope they have a plan to accommodate phone cases if they go buttonless, otherwise it will put off a lot of buyers. A $1000 chunk of glass isn't something many people want to carry around unprotected.
    Reply
  • Mark Spoonauer
    To me it sounds like they're seeing if it could work and could abandon the plan if it does. But it also seems like a late stage to be tinkering.

    19274212 said:
    Going buttonless takes courage, right Mr. Cook?

    I hope they have a plan to accommodate phone cases if they go buttonless, otherwise it will put off a lot of buyers. A $1000 chunk of glass isn't something many people want to carry around unprotected.

    Reply
  • Dan the Old Man
    It's 2017, why aren't these expensive phones not only waterproof but able to take an impact of more than three feet without shattering? The form factor is largely rendered immaterial because we need these hulking cases to protect them. If they could figure that out instead of dumb stuff like facial recognition that's just expediting the whole cashless society nightmare India is a Guinee pig for, it would be great.
    Reply
  • Wayne_39
    India is full of smart people, you are dumb. The problem is they are doing what is told by Apple, not coming with their own ideas. I am sure they can do whatever ideas are given to them.

    Apple is overpricing everything, so Samsung is overcharging their OLED for iPhone 8.
    Greedy Apple Company!!

    No matter, they are always late on technology, other brands always provide better technology and price.
    Reply
  • Mark Spoonauer
    I agree that a bigger emphasis on durability would be good. There's a rumor Apple is working with ceramic for the iPhone 8, which would be stronger and virtually scratch proof, but I don't believe it. I'm guessing the back will be glass.

    19274580 said:
    It's 2017, why aren't these expensive phones not only waterproof but able to take an impact of more than three feet without shattering? The form factor is largely rendered immaterial because we need these hulking cases to protect them. If they could figure that out instead of dumb stuff like facial recognition that's just expediting the whole cashless society nightmare India is a Guinee pig for, it would be great.

    Reply
  • daddywalter
    $1,000 for a phone that will be made "obsolete" by Apple marketing in a year, and possibly obsolete-for-real in three years? Ouch!

    Perhaps I'm an atypical smartphone user, but my priorities are: 1) reliability; 2) call quality; and 3) battery life. I'd include size and ruggedness, but putting a phone in a case pretty much negates both.

    An OLED screen would make sense for those who use their phones as tablet replacements, I suppose, but I prefer an actual tablet for "tablet things". Then again, I don't carry my phone with me every second; sometimes it's nice to be out of touch (except on my terms).
    Reply