For a minute there, the iPhone 8 wasn't looking so good. A purported dummy unit of Apple's next flagship phone started making the rounds over the weekend, and it was so heinous we didn't want to believe it was real.
But the source of the leak has now followed up with a fresh set of designs that are much more appealing. In fact, they put the Galaxy S8 on notice.
The first unit, leaked by Benjamin Geskin and spotted by 9to5Mac, is supposedly a CNC model straight from Foxconn where the iPhone 8 is being made. There's glass on the front and back with a shiny stainless steel frame. Previous reports have pointed to Apple offering stainless steel in a nod to the iPhone 4.
We like that this device lacks a Touch ID sensor on the back, which could signal the sensor will indeed be integrated into the screen. But the whole thing looks bulky and gaudy.
Then Geskin followed up with another set of images and said the new iPhone will be 7.1mm thick, which would be the same as the iPhone 7. He also claims that the stainless steel sides of the iPhone 8 will be a polished Space Black instead of silver, similar to the Apple Watch. It would look more like the below image.
Finally, Geskin leaked what appears to be schematics of the iPhone 8's components and motherboard, which shows the possible placement of the fast new A11 chip, Taptic engine for haptic feedback and Lightning connector. Based on this schematic, you shouldn't expect USB-C, though. Geskin says the motherboard image is 70 percent accurate.
If the polished black iPhone 8 with OLED display looks closer to the real thing, it could beat the Galaxy S8 in one key area. Samsung's phone has a fingerprint sensor on the rear, which is in awkward location right next to the camera. If Apple can somehow integrate Touch ID into the display on its phone, it would pull off a much more seamless design.
Then again, the vertical dual cameras on the iPhone 8 reportedly still have a raised bump, while the S8's camera sits more flush with the rest of the device.
Other iPhone 8 rumors include the addition of wireless charging, an improved Siri through iOS 11 and a new wave of augmented reality features. However, you may have to pay close to $1,000 to get Apple's 10th anniversary handset, and it may arrive 2 months after the updated iPhone 7s and 7s Plus.
