Apple Employee Mentions Work on 'iPhone 8' is Ongoing in Israel Offices

[MacRumors]

Apple is building hardware for next year's iPhone model at its offices in Herzliya, Israel, and referring to it internally as the "iPhone 8," according to an employee there who spoke anonymously to Business Insider. The employee works on soldering components for Apple and gave vague references to how "different" the 2017 iPhone will be from the iPhone 7, which falls in line with rumors about the iPhone 8's radical redesign, without providing detailed information to add to the previous reports.

Still, the naming scheme of next year's iPhone is one of the device's most talked-about aspects. Normally, the smartphone would carry the "iPhone 7s" moniker given that it will be following this year's iPhone 7, but given the major changes Apple plans to introduce to the iPhone in 2017, it seems unlikely the device will receive an "S" name. Because of this, there's a good chance Apple may decide to skip directly to the next full number, naming the 2017 iPhone the iPhone 8.

The Apple employee speaking with Business Insider keeps this idea alive, mentioning what's coming "next" from Apple and discussing the iPhone 8 "unprompted" in the conversation. The same source, "who only spoke in broken English," added that the 2017 version of the iPhone will have a better camera than the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7, which is expected at this point in Apple's yearly upgrade cycle.

Speaking to Business Insider outside Apple's Herzliya office at Maskit Street 12, the Apple employee said staff in Israel are working on what's coming "next" in Apple's product line, giving a specific mention to "iPhone 8."

The worker used the term "iPhone 8" unprompted in our conversation. That was interesting because the next logical name for the iPhone to be released in 2017 should be "iPhone 7s." iPhone 8 isn't due until 2018.

The radically redesigned iPhone 8 is said to include an all-glass body, edge-to-edge display with the camera and Touch ID integrated into it, no traditional Home Button, and potentially wireless charging. The device's launch will also fall on the tenth anniversary of the original iPhone's debut, back in 2007, leading to even more speculation that Apple will land on a specialized branding instead of a simple "S" naming scheme.

But because it's so early in the rumor cycle -- and because Apple's R&D offices in Herzliya have nothing to do with marketing and branding of the iPhone -- it's best to take today's report with the usual grain of salt. Tim Cook visited the Herzliya offices when they opened last year with rumored focus on storage space, processors, and communications chips being worked on by around 800 employees.

Article Link: Apple Employee Mentions Work on 'iPhone 8' is Ongoing in Israel Offices

 

[TrueBlou]

Love it. Work on iPhone 8 is... ongoing? Really, ongoing you say I'd expected them to have stopped by now.

Couldn't resist

 

[keysofanxiety]

I have no doubts it'll be all true with the edge-to-edge display and no home button, and of course hope they'll release it sooner rather than later. But we've all been burned by delusions of grandeur before. Remember the rumours for the 4S?

Regardless, part of me can't wait for the waves of vitriol if the iPhone 7S is announced instead.

 

[smacrumon]

Edit: The picture in the article looks ridiculous. Does anyone really want the earpiece cutting through the display??? No.

Would be nice if Macarumors covered the largest Apple patent unveiling just a couple of weeks ago.

iPhone 8 could be made from ceramic. Bye bye ugly antenna lines.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/revealing-apple-patent-covers-all-new-ceramic-iphone.1997711/

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...c-apple-watch-and-all-new-ceramic-iphone.html

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ne-in-2017-will-be-made-from-ceramic.1993538/

 

[odditie]

After everyone freaked out that the iPhone 4S was some lesser phone because it wasn't named iPhone 5, I hope Apple calls it iPhone 7S just to mess with people.

 

[GordonNelson]

Well, if it will look like the picture - it's awesome - and I'll definitely buy it!!!

 

[ironpony]

Which iPhone prototype was it that an employee left at a bar out there in or near Cuppertino ?

 

[_Refurbished_]

All I want is real, completely untethered wireless charging.

 

[Jsameds]

They'll have iPhone 8, 9 and probably 10 prototypes in their labs already.

Man what I wouldn't give to have a tour of that place..

 

[Bubba Satori]

This just in...it will be dark tonight.

 

[keysofanxiety]

After everyone freaked out that the iPhone 4S was some lesser phone because it wasn't named iPhone 5

Ehh, they'd have freaked out just as much if it was called the 5 but in the same shell.

Honestly, I just can't see this phone released next year. 2018, definitely. They've stuck to the redesign/S gen tick/tock cycle since 2008. I can't imagine that's going to change next year.

Besides, if it's such a massive redesign, they might have that 'S gen cushion' to completely perfect it over the course of a year, ensuring it's truly mindblowing.

 

[76ShovelHead]

Incremental updates have bored me away from Apple's platforms. Hopefully the next iPhone will offer a more cutting edge design such as the rendering in the post... Until then I'll remain content with what I have.

 

[DavidTheExpert]

Why is this shocking? Did you think Tim Cook would just wake up some day 10 months from now and say "oh ****, we forgot to make another iPhone!"

 

[keysofanxiety]

Incremental updates have bored me away from Apple's platforms. Hopefully the next iPhone will offer a more cutting edge design such as the rendering in the post... Until then I'll remain content with what I have.

Yeah but... that benchmark from the 7. Now that's a technical feat.

Honestly, what's running inside these phones is nothing short of astounding from an in-house development team. Once they release something that's aesthetically utterly drop-dead gorgeous; something that just blows your mind with how it looks and feels, something so incredibly fresh and forward-thinking; well, they won't need to worry about the hardware to drive that sort of thing.

Apple sticking with the tried-and-tested form factor for a few more years, but making the chips better and better, isn't the end of the world. It'll pay off in the long run. Comparatively speaking, throwing in an edge-to-edge display is a cakewalk against the leaps they've made with the chips.

This rumoured iPhone will be released. They're already starting to move away from a physical home button with the design of the 7. But I wouldn't be heartbroken if it just means waiting one more year.

 

[soco]

Love it. Work on iPhone 8 is... ongoing? Really, ongoing you say I'd expected them to have stopped by now.

Couldn't resist

Yeah, couldn't resist doing the "LOL A RUMOR ON MACRUMORS WTF AM I HERE FOR?!?!?" comment of the day.
Thanks, TrueBlou.

 

[Oblivious.Robot]

Perhaps I need to lower my expectations, but Gods am I hyped for 2017's iPhone.
Be it 7S or 8, I've already made up my mind to buy it!

And just this excitement that's building up with the rumors is actually amazing!

Edit - Out if curiosity I was looking at ceramic iPhone, and found the most extensive explanation on the internet. https://www.quora.com/What-will-the-iPhone-8-be-made-of
From Apple Watches, iPhones to even MBPs.
Apple is far far from doomed, Jesus Christ is the future exciting.

 

[doelcm82]

Honestly, I just can't see this phone released next year. 2018, definitely. They've stuck to the redesign/S gen tick/tock cycle since 2008. I can't imagine that's going to change next year.

They've had a total of four "S" models. Stopping now would be like removing the headphone jack. Unthinkable.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

I don't think either name will be the one. No iPhone 8 or iPhone 7s. The next iPhone will be called:
iPhone 10th Anniversary Edition

 

[Apple souce]

They might call it "the new iPhone"

 

[Northgrove]

Heh, so it's already begun, and now even directly from Apple staff??

I bet we'll have unusually many rumors surrounding this phone given the radical changes.

I've also heard that Apple may change into a different, longer release cycle as people no longer replace their phones as often.

So I wouldn't be surprised if Apple uses the opportunity for a major design change to also make a major change in branding. I'm not sure so sure this phone will be called iPhone 8. We're getting so close to silly numbers like iPhone 11 or iPhone 12. Maybe this moment will be one where it'll be simply referred to as... "iPhone". Like the Mac lines. And we'll instead have to refer them to by their release year, which may no longer be yearly.

Edit: Yeah, as above... "The new iPhone" in marketing. It makes sense they want to get away from traditional branding if they are moving from traditional cycles, or even traditional designs.

 

[Mr. Dee]

I find it hard to believe Apple would release it less than 1 year after the iPhone 7. Sure, June 29th 2017 would be ideal, but waiting until Fall is not gonna make Steve Jobs turn in his grave either.
[doublepost=1475067564][/doublepost]

Would be nice if Macarumors covered the largest Apple patent unveiling just a couple of weeks ago.

iPhone 8 could be made from ceramic. Bye bye ugly antenna lines.

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...c-apple-watch-and-all-new-ceramic-iphone.html

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ne-in-2017-will-be-made-from-ceramic.1993538/

I agree. The Apple Watch revisions are certainly hinting at whats expecting in Apple products like the iPhone and MacBook. I think ceramic white will be the new Jet Black, its just the cost will make it prohibitively expensive.

 

[Juicy Box]

If the rumors of the iPhone 8 are true, it would make the iPhone 7 look like the 6.

 

[SMIDG3T]

That's because it will be called the iPhone 8.

It'll be the 10th anniversary of the iPhone and will be something special. We've had a tick-tock-tock cycle the last three years.

 

[69Mustang]

I find it hard to believe Apple would release it less than 1 year after the iPhone 7. Sure, June 29th 2017 would be ideal, but waiting until Fall is not gonna make Steve Jobs turn in his grave either.

The only thing that will make Steve Jobs turn in his grave is an earthquake. Aside from that, I'm pretty sure he's gonna be unaffected no matter Apple does.

 

[RedOrchestra]

The next iPhone will be called: iPhone 10th Anniversary Edition

At a SPECIAL 10th Anniversary price.