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Yet another "iPhone 8" design schematic has surfaced today, this one courtesy of noted leaker Sonny Dickson on Twitter.

iPhone-8-sonny-dickson.jpg

The render shows an iPhone with a vertically-positioned dual-lens camera and Touch ID located on the back of the smartphone, as seen previously. It's likely one of several designs that Apple is considering, as multiple reports have said the company has been testing multiple iPhone prototypes this year.

Bloomberg in particular said one of the iPhone prototypes that Apple is testing has a "simpler design" with an aluminum back, rather than a glass one, plus slightly larger dimensions, and that description is consistent with this render. But, as mentioned, this might not be the design that Apple selects.
Apple suppliers have so far struggled to reliably produce heavily curved glass in mass quantities, so the company is more likely to ship the version with more subdued curves, the person added. The company is also testing a simpler design that has an aluminum back, rather than a glass one, and slightly larger dimensions, one of the people said.
The prototype measures 149.5mm tall and 72.5mm wide, compared to the iPhone 7's 138.3mm length and 67.1mm width, so the "iPhone 8" would be slightly larger than a 4.7-inch iPhone as expected should Apple choose this design. The dimensions are consistent with a previous design schematic leaked last week.

While a vertical camera is a more likely possibility for what will be Apple's highest-end iPhone, it's less clear if Touch ID will be integrated under the display, on the rear, or elsewhere. Last week, Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri said Apple is facing yield issues with its under-display solution.

One possibility is that the circular cutout on the rear is actually for wireless charging, rather than Touch ID, in order to avoid interference from the aluminum casing. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said all three iPhone models rumored to launch this year will feature wireless charging.

The sides of the iPhone include the usual cutouts for the mute switch, SIM card tray, Lightning connector, speaker grille, and what is likely a second faux speaker grille. In line with the iPhone 7, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack, so don't get your hopes up about a surprise return of the legacy connector.

Article Link: Another 'iPhone 8' Design Schematic Shows Vertical Dual Camera and Touch ID on Back of Aluminum Casing
 
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morcutt11

macrumors 6502
Jun 26, 2015
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Sorry Apple, but it is definitely a "NO" if touch ID is on the back. I've used Android phones that are like that and it is a pain.

I'm hoping that Apple is just trying to flood the market with false specs of different variations to keep people guessing right up to the official announcement.

I'd love to see Tim Cook come out and show the fingerprint sensor working underneath a bezel-less display and say, "What? You didn't think we were going to put it on the back did you?"
 

TimUSCA

macrumors 6502a
Mar 17, 2006
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Even if this were legitimate, and I don't think it is for the record, it still doesn't mean Touch ID is on the back. We already know they have a backup plan in case they can't get it working in the screen. So regardless of how they move forward, this schematic would exist.

The sky isn't falling quite yet. Personally, I would hate it if it were on the back.
 

randymac09

macrumors regular
Aug 18, 2014
202
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Just tried mimicking the placement of the Touch ID in the schematic on my iPhone 7+ and it's a bit awkward. Plus, like others have noted in other posts, one of the best things about it being on the front is the ability to unlock it while it's facing up/flat on a table. Hopefully, if they do put it on the back they implement a way to unlock it (without using a password) while it's facing up.

That being said, I do like the design direction so far.
 
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brendu

Cancelled
Apr 23, 2009
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Touch ID on the back is fine. Really it will be a perfectly usable placement. The bigger issue I have is that they didn't make it in the Apple logo. It would have been so clean looking. Now it will have a circle in the middle of the back which looks worse.
 

ThatsMeRight

macrumors 68020
Sep 12, 2009
2,284
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That would be very disappointing. It would mean that we wouldn't get a new big design refresh, a not-so-beautiful scanner on the back near the Apple logo and it would also result in less user convenience.

The fingerprinting scanner on the rear of the Galaxy S8 is basically the only thing which really disappoints me.

Here's hoping that we do in fact get an all-new design with integrated Touch ID scanner inside the display.
 
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Dave245

macrumors G3
Sep 15, 2013
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It's likely that it's just a prototype, or what if it's the design for the 7s and 7s Plus rather than the 8 which will have Touch ID under the display.
 
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