App developer Steven Troughton-Smith, trawling through a leaked copy of Apple’s iOS 11 software, has found references to three separate next-generation iPhone models: the iPhone 8, the iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X.
https://twitter.com/stroughtonsmith/status/906542097284714496
Troughton-Smith also found evidence connecting the “iPhone X” to “D22,” the code name associated with most of the biggest-rumored upgrades based on previous leaks. While this isn’t quite confirmation that the “iPhone X” will be an official model name, it aligns with, and perhaps clarifies, rumors that have been circulating for months.
Specifically, multiple analysts have suggested that a premium version of the new iPhone could cost around $1,000 – a much higher price point than any previous new iPhone. At the same time, some have suggested that “iPhone X” could be the name for the entire iPhone 8 generation, in commemoration of the iPhone’s 10th anniversary.
Speculation about the higher price has been driven partly by rumors that the iPhone 8 would include pricey upgrades, including an upgraded OLED screen, rather than the LCD screen common to previous generations; wireless charging; and a new, bezel-free design. But other reports have suggested that the standard iPhone 8 will have a less shocking price point, based mostly on the straightforward argument that, even with new bells and whistles, a $1,000 iPhone would be out of line with competitors’ prices.
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All of this makes a bit more sense if, as the iOS11 code suggests, Apple will introduce three different phones at its unveiling this Tuesday. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will likely be non-OLED, while the more expensive “iPhone X” will have the OLED screen. The bezel-free design, including a speaker “notch” and a redesigned status bar, may also be exclusive to the iPhone X.
‘iPhone X’ Split Status Bar Leak Shows Off Animated Battery Icon and Screen Recording Indicator https://t.co/CFAt2sEHet by @mbrsrdpic.twitter.com/ca0NWriGeh
— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) September 9, 2017
There’s inevitably a lot of speculation involved here and, as The Verge points out, the “iPhone X” reference in the software could be a placeholder to be changed later. But given the 10th anniversary, both the name and the top-tier price and features make a lot of sense.
The same leak has revealed new details about the upcoming Apple Watch revamp. And here’s another minor treat, also courtesy of Troughton-Smith: an animation of a redesigned AirPod case:
https://twitter.com/stroughtonsmith/status/906612437381734400
