New leak ‘confirms’ Apple’s iPhone 8 design

Apple is radically changing the way you know the iPhone. Having spent years iterating the original iPhone design, the 10th anniversary ‘iPhone 8’ will change everything – as two new (and highly credible) leaks have now confirmed…

Long time leak superstar Steve Hemmerstoffer (aka @OnLeaks) delivers the first. Having obtained detailed schematics “sourced directly from the factory in charge of building the new iPhone”, he worked with TigerMobiles to manufacturer the device using CNC manufacturing.

The end result reveals the controversial redesign of the iPhone is going to be a real head turner. The highlight is its massive (high resolution) 5.8-inch display, with its potentially awkward top cutout for the front camera and sensors, and space for the secret iOS 11 Function Area.

Interestingly Hemmerstoffer also uses digital calipers to reveal the iPhone 8’s precise dimensions and they make for fascinating reading compared to the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.

• iPhone 8 – 143.5 x 71 x 7.5 mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.29 in)
• iPhone 7 – 138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1 mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 in)
• iPhone 7 Plus – 158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 in)

This is incredibly compact for a 5.8-inch device making it notably shorter, if slightly wider, than the 5.8-inch Galaxy S8 (148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0 mm). The only thing blotting the iPhone 8’s copybook is the large, protruding dual camera which increases the depth at this point to 9.1mm and will make the phone hard to use on a flat surface.

Personally I’d have preferred a flush 9.1mm iPhone 8 with the extra space used for a bigger battery. But more importantly we see there is no rear fingerprint scanner (or physical home button) showing this crucial upgrade will indeed be integrated into the display.

Next up is prolific case maker and accurate smartphone leaker Olixar.

Having already correctly leaked the iPhone 7, Galaxy Note 7, Galaxy S8 and iPhone 8, its retail partner Mobile Fun has contacted me with a hands on video showing off the company’s official iPhone 8 case and screen protectors and comparing them to an iPhone 7.

As you might expect from two credible sources, Olixar’s cases and OnLeak’s schematics tie in perfectly. Mobile Fun measures the Olixar cases and – you guessed it – at approximately 145 x 73 x 9mm they would perfectly fit around the iPhone 8 chassis Hemmerstoffer measured leaving roughly 1mm thick of protection on all sides.

What is also striking is how an iPhone 7 almost fills Olixar’s iPhone 8 case, despite the latter’s 1.1-inch larger display. For years iPhones have been criticised for their large and top bottom bezels, but this will change dramatically with the iPhone 8.

Could things still change before Apple’s official iPhone 8 reveal (which history tells us we can expect) in September? Theoretically yes, but in practice no. The reality is Apple needs to manufacturer millions of units in the run up its release and this typically starts three months out so I can’t see a U-turn happening this late in the game.

Besides I can’t see many iPhone fans complaining about this iPhone 8 design. Top bezel cutout aside, it is the reinvention many have been dreaming about and – coupled with Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 problems – this might just be the handset which cleans up in 2017.

Yes, even Google’s shape changing Pixel 2 is unlikely to stop it.