HomePod Firmware Suggests iPhone 8 May Record 4K Video at 60 FPS With Both Front and Rear Cameras

[recoil80]

It would be so funny if all this stuff turned out to be false and Apple were in fact trolling everyone with the HomePod firmware release (I hope it is all true, the iPhone 8 will be fantastic if it is but it would so funny)

I remember comments like this in the past, but unfortunately it is hard to be really surprised during an iPhone keynote these days. Some software feature may not leak, but usually we get to know pretty much everything during summer.

 

[SwissGuy93]

It would be so funny if all this stuff turned out to be false and Apple were in fact trolling everyone with the HomePod firmware release (I hope it is all true, the iPhone 8 will be fantastic if it is but it would so funny)

In fact I dreamed just that the other night! Not kidding, I dreamt that Apple presented the iPhone 7s and the whole techworld was going batsh*t crazy, because they did not annouce the iPhone 8.
No, but seriously, I think Apple would have reacted in some way if those rumors weren't true (another leak with other features, or something). This would be extremely damaging if those features (facial recognition, design etc.) were false and there would only be a iPhone 7s.
What I thought about; What if Apple deliberatly leaked this stuff, just to take the momentum away from the Note 8 launch in three weeks?

 

[antonis]

If the end-of-the-world date is not mentioned in this firmware, I will be very disappointed.

 

[Dave245]

In fact I dreamed just that the other night! Not kidding, I dreamt that Apple presented the iPhone 7s and the whole techworld was going batsh*t crazy, because they did not annouce the iPhone 8.
No, but seriously, I think Apple would have reacted in some way if those rumors weren't true (another leak with other features, or something). This would be extremely damaging if those features (facial recognition, design etc.) were false and there would only be a iPhone 7s.
What I thought about; What if Apple deliberatly leaked this stuff, just to take the momentum away from the Note 8 launch in three weeks?

That would send people really bat crazy, people would be complaining more on this forum than they do now You could have a point about Apple leaking this stuff on purpose, Samsung are looking to take the momentum away from the iPhone 8 by holding their event later this month and relating the Note 8 in September (apparently) so what better way for Apple to top that than to "accidentally" put the HomePod firmware up for developers to "find"

 

[SwissGuy93]

If they are not making the 7s because iPhone 8 will be priced as iPhone 7 I'd be really happy, as everyone here.
But if they are going to to raise prices I want an alternative, and buying last year's model, even at a $100 discount is not very appealing.

Well what do mean by raising the prices? I think the starting point could be like 749 $. That would be a $100 more than the iPhone 7. I am not so sure about the whole "it's going to cost >1000$..." stuff. I thought maybe they will release different editions like with the Apple Watch? One with the Aluminium band around it and stregthend glass, one with a stainless steel band and ceramic back? There were rumors swirling around for all those components. And then there is the jet black option introduced with the iPhone 7. With that one the Aluminium and Glass version could be awesome, and it would explaine why apple had two different black versions. Maybe the jet black iphone 7 was a "trial" for the iPhone 8?

 

[newyorksole]

Doubt it. Because that theory makes no sense.

There's been a pause in iPhone 7 sales since April and Tim Cook has admitted future iPhone rumors are to blame.

Apple doesn't need OLED hype now. They can hype it after launch and manufacturing is fully ramped. It's the same as Elon Musk anti-selling the Model 3. There's no point in killing Model S sales.

People are still buying iPhone 7s though..

There may be a "pause", but Apple will make up for that slight dip *hopefully* with whatever new model(s) come out. And I mean it happens every year when there are rumors of a new phone. This is slightly different being that it's the 10 year anniversary.

 

[SwissGuy93]

That would send people really bat crazy, people would be complaining more on this forum than they do now You could have a point about Apple leaking this stuff on purpose, Samsung are looking to take the momentum away from the iPhone 8 by holding their event later this month and relating the Note 8 in September (apparently) so what better way for Apple to top that than to "accidentally" put the HomePod firmware up for developers to "find"

Yeah, just to steal Samsung's thunder a bit. I expect that the Note 8 will be well recieved with the tech journalists, so for Apple to have one foot in the door with apperantly "leaked" stuff would not be the worst thing to happen. Especially since some people have casted doubts about the iPhone 8 before.
[doublepost=1501842619][/doublepost]

Doubt it. Because that theory makes no sense.

There's been a pause in iPhone 7 sales since April and Tim Cook has admitted future iPhone rumors are to blame.

Apple doesn't need OLED hype now. They can hype it after launch and manufacturing is fully ramped. It's the same as Elon Musk anti-selling the Model 3. There's no point in killing Model S sales.

Yeah that is true, but there is Samsung with the Note 8 coming around the corner. And some people, crazy as that might be, are actually pretty hyped about the Note 8. And let's not forget: The launch is 5-6 weeks away they can use the hype right around now.
Let me explain why 5-6 weeks: I am running the Playground beta via Testflight. That license or what ever you want to call it, expires in 49 days. That is the 22. September. After that the real update for Playgrounds must be out by then. And that would only be released together with iOS 11. Now, the iOS Version is normally released in the same week as the new iPhone is. So that would mean the official launch would be on the 22. at the latest. So pre-orders would then start on the 15. September and so the Keynote would be placed around the 14. or 15. of September at the latest.

 

[recoil80]

Well what do mean by raising the prices? I think the starting point could be like 749 $. That would be a $100 more than the iPhone 7. I am not so sure about the whole "it's going to cost >1000$..." stuff. I thought maybe they will release different editions like with the Apple Watch? One with the Aluminium band around it and stregthend glass, one with a stainless steel band and ceramic back? There were rumors swirling around for all those components. And then there is the jet black option introduced with the iPhone 7. With that one the Aluminium and Glass version could be awesome, and it would explaine why apple had two different black versions. Maybe the jet black iphone 7 was a "trial" for the iPhone 8?

$100 more than iPhone 7 is the cost of 7+, the new iPhone will feature a bigger display in a chassis similar to the 7 so I'd be willing to pay the 7+ price.
But what if they price it 899 or 999? They ought to keep something in the range of $700 and that would be the 7s.
Only time will tell, the only possible leak about prices can come from carriers, otherwise we'll find out during the keynote.

 

[CptnJustc]

Just what I want to see, my face in 4k.

 

[SwissGuy93]

$100 more than iPhone 7 is the cost of 7+, the new iPhone will feature a bigger display in a chassis similar to the 7 so I'd be willing to pay the 7+ price.
But what if they price it 899 or 999? They ought to keep something in the range of $700 and that would be the 7s.
Only time will tell, the only possible leak about prices can come from carriers, otherwise we'll find out during the keynote.

Yeah, I don't know. We actually don't know anything for sure, except some of the details found in the HomePod.
The price leaks have been quite close to the actual keynote, right? So like in 3-4 weeks maybe?
[doublepost=1501843662][/doublepost]

Just what I want to see, my face in 4k.

Well, not me. There ain't no filter strong enough to beautify my face in 4k.

 

[Dave245]

The launch is 5-6 weeks away they can use the hype right around now.
Let me explain why 5-6 weeks: I am running the Playground beta via Testflight. That license or what ever you want to call it, expires in 49 days. That is the 22. September. After that the real update for Playgrounds must be out by then. And that would only be released together with iOS 11. Now, the iOS Version is normally released in the same week as the new iPhone is. So that would mean the official launch would be on the 22. at the latest. So pre-orders would then start on the 15. September and so the Keynote would be placed around the 14. or 15. of September at the latest.

If the release date for the iPhone 8, 7s and 7s Plus is the 22nd that would make sense because it's a Friday and Apple always (in the past) release iPhone's on a Friday, the week before is the 15th so pre-orders are likely to be on the 15th, again Apple tend to take pre-order a week before release, so the event date could be Monday 11th September or Wednesday the 13th of September.

 

[manu chao]

It surprises me, that nearly 1 month before the Keynote there are absolutly no detailed rumors about the 7S!

They could do an update along the lines of the iPhone SE (from the 5s, ie, updated A-series, updated radios and new camera). But I do keep wondering how they are going to present things at the keynote. Start with some rather pedestrian updates in the 7s, unsuccessfully trying to rile up the crowd which knows the iPhone '8' will offer much more and then having a one-more-thing segment (not necessarily called that way) of announcing the iPhone 8?

 

[SwissGuy93]

They could do an update along the lines of the iPhone SE (from the 5s, ie, updated A-series, updated radios and new camera). But I do keep wondering how they are going to present things at the keynote. Start with some rather pedestrian updates in the 7s, unsuccessfully trying to rile up the crowd which knows the iPhone '8' will offer much more and then having a one-more-thing segment (not necessarily called that way) of announcing the iPhone 8?

If been thinking the excat same thing? How will they sell it during the presentation? Something like: "Hey! Look this is the iPhone 7s! It's is nearly the best iPhone ever! And now to the iPhone 8! This is in fact the best iPhone ever! So, we don't really see the point of buying the iPhone 7s...unless you want your phone on this side of christmas!"

 

[recoil80]

Yeah, I don't know. We actually don't know anything for sure, except some of the details found in the HomePod.
The price leaks have been quite close to the actual keynote, right? So like in 3-4 weeks maybe?

Prices usually leak very close to the event when carriers get ready to distribute the new iPhone and we can see internal memos or advertising material.
We may read something by the end of this month.

I remember when watching keynotes was really enticing, now at the end of each product presentation I say to myself "well, I already knew 90% of what they just said".
It is funny because they seem to care about secrecy and the biggest leaks are coming from Apple itself, except for some blueprints and case molds everything we know about the iPhone 8 is in the firmware only Apple could release.
[doublepost=1501846493][/doublepost]

If been thinking the excat same thing? How will they sell it during the presentation? Something like: "Hey! Look this is the iPhone 7s! It's is nearly the best iPhone ever! And now to the iPhone 8! This is in fact the best iPhone ever! So, we don't really see the point of buying the iPhone 7s...unless you want your phone on this side of christmas!"

When they announced iPhone 5c and 5s they started with the 5C, less expensive and less exciting model.
Last year they announced watch series 2 and only at the end they talked about series 1, basically series 0 with a new chip. If iPhone 7s is exactly iPhone 7 with the new A11 SoC they may do something similar: talk about iPhone 8 and how great the new SoC is then say they're releasing iPhone 7s with the same SoC.
But it may be the other way round, first the talk about how cool A11 is on 7S, maybe they have some enhancements on the camera as well and then, the "one more thing" could be iPhone 8.

 

[mazz0]

It surprises me, that nearly 1 month before the Keynote there are absolutly no detailed rumors about the 7S!

I think the 6SSS is just going to be the 6SS being shifted down into a lower price bracket, while the 8 (or whatever it's called) will take it's place in the normal high end iPhone price bracket. There's just not enough about the 8 to warrant it costing substantially more than the competition.

 

[mctrials23]

I would be a little surprised to see apple place their flagship model out of reach of the average buyer and basically say "unless you drop another £200 you can't have our flagship phone". There has always been a parity between iphones when it comes to price and you get the same phone as everyone else who buys the new iphone. You might add more storage and pay more or get the larger screen and pay more but you have always got "the best iPhone". Will this be a single year mismatch between the cycles of phones?

I don't understand how they will consolidate these phones.

Will they release the 7S/7S+ alongside the 8 this year and then next year will be the 8S/8S+ which is essentially this years 8 with updated internals, standard S cycle upgrades and then a larger model to fall back in line with the current lineup of a standard size and and plus size?

 

[SwissGuy93]

Prices usually leak very close to the event when carriers get ready to distribute the new iPhone and we can see internal memos or advertising material.
We may read something by the end of this month.

I remember when watching keynotes was really enticing, now at the end of each product presentation I say to myself "well, I already knew 90% of what they just said".
It is funny because they seem to care about secrecy and the biggest leaks are coming from Apple itself, except for some blueprints and case molds everything we know about the iPhone 8 is in the firmware only Apple could release.
[doublepost=1501846493][/doublepost]

When they announced iPhone 5c and 5s they started with the 5C, less expensive and less exciting model.
Last year they announced watch series 2 and only at the end they talked about series 1, basically series 0 with a new chip. If iPhone 7s is exactly iPhone 7 with the new A11 SoC they may do something similar: talk about iPhone 8 and how great the new SoC is then say they're releasing iPhone 7s with the same SoC.
But it may be the other way round, first the talk about how cool A11 is on 7S, maybe they have some enhancements on the camera as well and then, the "one more thing" could be iPhone 8.

Yeah, but also those leaks are not that telling. We still don't know what materials will actually be used and I hope that we haven't pieced everything together yet. I feel like this year there were so many reports and leaks that at the end of the day we all just agreed on the most mentioned reports and had this vision of how it should look like. Luckily we got it mostly right until now. The question just is; what other reports were neglected but will turn out to be true?
[doublepost=1501847706][/doublepost]

I would be a little surprised to see apple place their flagship model out of reach of the average buyer and basically say "unless you drop another £200 you can't have our flagship phone. Will this be a single year mismatch between the cycles of phones?

I don't understand how they will consolidate these phones.

Will they release the 7S/7S+ alongside the 8 this year and then next year will be the 8S/8S+ which is essentially this years 8 with updated internals, standard S cycle upgrades and then a larger model to fall back in line with the current lineup of a standard size and and plus size?

Here is a thought; What happens with the iPhone Upgarde Program Customers? Will they just get the iPhone 7s? If so, I can already here some very pissed upgrade customers.

 

[EdT]

This might be a side effect of the facial recognition system requiring high resolution front facing cameras.

I think you nailed it.

 

[ValO]

Or apple could release just the iphone 8 and 8+, with the all new rumored design, but made from alu with a glass back and an ips lcd with the new res, and release a special iphone 8 edition with a steel frame, ceramic or sapphire back and an oled display.

Since they won' t use touchid in-screen, there would be no need for all models having an oled screen.

We could all be wrong though, the last few years apple manages to surprise us. They could release only 2 new iphones, one iphone 8/edition and one cheaper se modell.

Odd releases the last years:
-More expensive Ipad pro 9.7 instead of an ipad air3.
-iphone se
-2017 9.7 inch ipad

Apple seems to be going the direction of releasing new cheaper mainstream mid-segment products that sell in large quantities for higher volume, combined with a lot more expensive high end models to up the ASP in the mix.

That is what they basically did with the ipad this year. Wonder if they will go the same route with the iphone.

 

[mctrials23]

Here is a thought; What happens with the iPhone Upgarde Program Customers? Will they just get the iPhone 7s? If so, I can already here some very pissed upgrade customers.

Thats actually a very good point. I would be super pissed off if I was on the upgrade program that apple only started last year and they turned around and told me that actually I'm not entitled to the latest iphone without paying extra. That was the very point of the program.

 

[Dave245]

Or apple could release just the iphone 8 and 8+, with the all new rumored design, but made from alu with a glass back and an ips lcd with the new res, and release a special iphone 8 edition with a steel frame, ceramic or sapphire back and an oled display.

Since they won' t use touchid in-screen, there would be no need for all models having an oled screen.

We could all be wrong though, the last few years apple manages to surprise us. They could release only 2 new iphones, one iphone 8/edition and one cheaper se modell.

Odd releases the last years:
-More expensive Ipad pro 9.7 instead of an ipad air3.
-iphone se
-2017 9.7 inch ipad

Apple seems to be going the direction of releasing new cheaper mainstream mid-segment products that sell in large quantities for higher volume, combined with a lot more expensive high end models to up the ASP in the mix.

That is what they basically did with the ipad this year. Wonder if they will go the same route with the iphone.

It seems to be working for them as well with iPad sales up, the SE seems to be popular as well. I think they will announce the iPhone 7s, 7s Plus and the iPhone 8, at the same event i think they will also announce the Apple Watch 3. I cant see them using a whole keynote dedicated to just the iPhone, don't forget they updated most products at WWDC.
[doublepost=1501848221][/doublepost]

Thats actually a very good point. I would be super pissed off if I was on the upgrade program that apple only started last year and they turned around and told me that actually I'm not entitled to the latest iphone without paying extra. That was the very point of the program.

The iPhone 8 may not be included unless they up the price, it's going to be expensive at around £1000 or maybe more so i can't see them keeping it at the same upgrade programme price as the 7s and 7s Plus.

 

[DNichter]

Happy to see this. Everyone seems to be hung up on the design, but Apple looks to be adding a number of nice features to this phone. Unfortunately, it means there will be less of them available for me.

 

[SwissGuy93]

Thats actually a very good point. I would be super pissed off if I was on the upgrade program that apple only started last year and they turned around and told me that actually I'm not entitled to the latest iphone without paying extra. That was the very point of the program.

My point exactly. Maybe I'm just naive but here is my perspective:

Same price segment as the iPhone 7 / 7 Plus: The iPhone "8" with aluminium band, ion-x strengthend glass, maybe lcd display (even though I hope they also use OLED here, which is propable since they ordered 70 Mio. OLED displays).

Higher price segment: The iPhone "8" with stainless steel band, ceramic back, and OLED display (which will be gorgeous because of the wide color gamout they will have to implement)

Maybe that is just wishful thinking but if I were Apple that would be how I handled it.

 

[recoil80]

Yeah, but also those leaks are not that telling. We still don't know what materials will actually be used and I hope that we haven't pieced everything together yet. I feel like this year there were so many reports and leaks that at the end of the day we all just agreed on the most mentioned reports and had this vision of how it should look like. Luckily we got it mostly right until now. The question just is; what other reports were neglected but will turn out to be true?

Every now and then we see the TouchID on the back, then is under the display, then is gone in favour of FaceID. The latest rumor seems to confirm FaceID since it is written on the firmware, so I wonder if the images leaked with a hole on the back are referred to inductive charging.
Last year we had less rumours, I remember we read about the home button going away (I mean the physical one) but there were also rumors about TouchID embedded into the display, which proved wrong.
So some of the stuff we read may be completely wrong, as in the past.

Here is a thought; What happens with the iPhone Upgarde Program Customers? Will they just get the iPhone 7s? If so, I can already here some very pissed upgrade customers.

I don't think so.
What happen now if you start the upgrade program with 6s and then want to switch to 7+?
I think it is possible, you end up paying more each month, but that's it.
The only problem I see is availability, many folks who bought iPhone 7 in September may not be able to upgrade before October or November and lose a month.
The upgrade program is not yet available in my country but I really hope they'll launch it in September for the new iPhone.
If they rise the price of iPhone 8 the upgrade program will become even more popular

 

[SwissGuy93]

Every now and then we see the TouchID on the back, then is under the display, then is gone in favour of FaceID. The latest rumor seems to confirm FaceID since it is written on the firmware, so I wonder if the images leaked with a hole on the back are referred to inductive charging.
Last year we had less rumours, I remember we read about the home button going away (I mean the physical one) but there were also rumors about TouchID embedded into the display, which proved wrong.
So some of the stuff we read may be completely wrong, as in the past.



I don't think so.
What happen now if you start the upgrade program with 6s and then want to switch to 7+?
I think it is possible, you end up paying more each month, but that's it.
The only problem I see is availability, many folks who bought iPhone 7 in September may not be able to upgrade before October or November and lose a month.
The upgrade program is not yet available in my country but I really hope they'll launch it in September for the new iPhone.
If they rise the price of iPhone 8 the upgrade program will become even more popular

That's excatly what I mean. There were rumors about a all new glass design for the iPhone 7s. I just don't see that. If that should happen it will be as I said before where the design of the iPhone 8 will be used with different materials. It makes sense if you think about it:

They will use the experience they gathered with the jet black iPhone 7 to produce the aluminium band, so that there will be a seemless design. They use the knowledge of the ceramic Apple Watch Edition for their iPhone Edition and so on. And that would also "satisfy" all reports out there. There were reports of ceramic, then stainless steel, then glass and so on.

BUT there might also be the possiblity you mentioned: that the hole in the back is used for inductive charging. If you look at the pictures closely you can see that the hole is quite big. Bigger than the front facing Touch ID nowadays. So that could then be the new iPhone SE with that indicutive charging hole and the body of the iPhone 7.

I think we can come up with theories all day long, unfortunately we will just have to wait and see for ourselfs at the Keynote.