Apple is thought to be working on three new iPhones for launch in 2017. The first two models will have 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch LCD displays and will essentially act as incremental upgrades over the current iPhone 7 and 7 Pro respectively. It’s widely believed they’ll be launched with “iPhone 7s” branding.
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The third device has always been known to be more interesting. It will have a larger 5.8-inch display, incorporating OLED technology for the first time in an iPhone handset. Despite sporting a much larger screen, the phone’s chassis will be little bigger than the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s, due to the use of an edge-to-edge all-glass panel.
This is where it gets more interesting. The 5.8-inch phone was previously considered to be the “iPhone 8,” allowing Apple to obviously differentiate it from the less noteworthy 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch devices. According to a new report from Japanese news site Mac Otakara, Apple is actually planning a much more drastic separation, completing separating the “8” from its lower-end siblings.
Acknowledging the tenth anniversary of the iPhone this year, Apple will purportedly announce the device as the “iPhone Edition.” If true, the change will break from tradition and put an end to Apple’s numerical naming scheme. While unverified, the branding does seem plausible though. It nods to both “iPhone Tenth Anniversary Edition” and the “Edition” branding of the Apple Watch, potentially tying the phone and wearable closer together.
Secondly, the report states that Apple intends to postpone the launch of the Edition to beyond its regular September event. It will still announce the 7s and 7s Plus in this timeframe, further distancing these lesser devices from the much more significant Edition. It’s not clear when the latter phone will be unveiled but it’s most probable it will arrive before the holiday season.
The delayed launch window also gives Apple more time to polish the phone and its features. With rumours circulating suggesting the Edition will come with advanced new augmented reality and laser-scanning technologies, Apple may have decided to take the extra time to get these capabilities running reliably. Mac Otakara’s report suggests that questions still remain around key elements of the phone’s hardware, including material choices and whether to include a physical home button.
Simultaneously, the extra few months of development will increase anticipation and hype for the Edition, while ensuring the 7s-series isn’t entirely overlooked. It could also ease the strain on Apple’s supply chain and give component manufacturers some more breathing space, allowing the entire launch to run more smoothly. Although any of these details could change in the coming weeks, the claims made by this latest iPhone report appear more plausible than many others.
