iPhone 8 Will Have Curved OLED Screen and USB-C Connector

[belvdr]

The lightening port on the iPhone is barely smaller than the USB-C ports on other phones. The module itself is probably the same size. So space is not even a factor, but more of just extreme nitpicking.

I never had an issue with Micro USB for decades, and I never had an issue so far with my devices that use USB-C. Can't say the same about lightening cable/port.

Regular wireless charging is slower than corded. Fast wireless charging is about the same as corded, but very much slower than corded fast charging.

It's waaaay to early for a portless iPhone or any smartphone. Wireless charging is not in that advance stage yet, at least what's known to the public. And keeping a charge while gaming, using GPS, streaming, and etc, is something people are not willing to give up yet.

I haven't had an issue with any of the ports, but I'm careful with all of them.

That's an interesting note on charging while using the device. Reminds me of the Nexus 5: trying to answer a text while it's charging while standing over the device on the table and trying not to knock it off the base.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Regular wireless charging is slower than corded. Fast wireless charging is about the same as corded, but way slower than corded fast charging.

It's waaaay to early for a portless iPhone or any smartphone. Wireless charging is not in that advance stage yet, at least what's known to the public. And keeping a charge while gaming, using GPS, streaming, and etc, is something people are not willing to give up yet.

We don't know what Apple has in store for this year's iPhone, when it comes to wireless charging capabilities. Sure, they can keep Lightning, for scenarios like you're describing. But exactly zero people have ever said "my Lightning connector with this 2amp+ charger is taking too long, if only I had a USB-C connector on my phone instead".

 

[belvdr]

It seems (physically) Lightning is the Male version of USB-C...! Maybe Apple anticipated or even contributed to this standard!

Unfortunately no. Lightning is 8-pin and USB-C is 24-pin.

 

[itguy06]

Regular wireless charging is slower than corded. Fast wireless charging is about the same as corded, but very much slower than corded fast charging.

It's waaaay to early for a portless iPhone or any smartphone. Wireless charging is not in that advance stage yet, at least what's known to the public. And keeping a charge while gaming, using GPS, streaming, and etc, is something people are not willing to give up yet.

Who cares how fast wireless charging is if there's a regular port available? I, like most owners charge their phones while they sleep. I'd love to just place it on a pad like my Apple Watch and have it charge. Don't care if it takes 10 mins, 30 mins, or 5 hours as I'm sleeping.

For fast charging (or iPhone slow charging), you can still plug it in.

 

[belvdr]

Who cares how fast wireless charging is if there's a regular port available? I, like most owners charge their phones while they sleep. I'd love to just place it on a pad like my Apple Watch and have it charge. Don't care if it takes 10 mins, 30 mins, or 5 hours as I'm sleeping.

For fast charging (or iPhone slow charging), you can still plug it in.

I think the point was if they removed the port altogether so you were forced into wireless charging only.

 

[HarryWild]

I think the right size iPhone for me since I had the 4.7" and 5.5" models is to go back to the 4" model! Apple better start making this the flagship model instead the budget model because people are wanting smaller not bigger iPhones now!

 

[malexandria]

Fair enough - but what out of what we currently know will turn out to be true?

Wireless charging or not? No part leaks for the iPhone 7S so is that happening or will we just see an iPhone 8? Still lots to play for, so to speak.

I remember this time in 2014 there were so few leaks to suggest a 5.5 inch iPhone that some people thought there wouldn't be a 6Plus.

I think they probably got the design correct, the size options, maybe the USB C and Camera stuff. I don't think Apple will do wireless charging because that's too much of an "Android Thing." I wish they would add a new audio processing chipset.

 

[Azzin]

Maybe the physical connector is better... but lighting cables are USB 2.0, which means they are slow as hell.

Slow as hell at doing what?

 

[malexandria]

Yes, I was in support of Lightning, because it made sense to the average consumer, and also fit in with Apple's strategy and technical requirements (smaller, can be used on more things like keyboard/remote charging, etc.)

USB-C does not fit in with Apple's mobile device strategy, and opens them up for a worse customer experience with bad chargers/cables. And Apple tries to control the customer experience, which they can do relatively well with MFi certified connectors/chargers. Moving to USB-C would take that experience more out of their hands.

Fair enough, but again I wouldn't blankently say they wouldn't do it, because they've clearly done stuff like this in the past that screwed over a lot of folks.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

I haven't had an issue with any of the ports, but I'm careful with all of them.

That's an interesting note on charging while using the device. Reminds me of the Nexus 5: trying to answer a text while it's charging while standing over the device on the table and trying not to knock it off the base.

The most I would do is stream music while keeping the display always on. But that was with a Samsung phone on a fast wireless charging stand. With my regular wireless charging pad, keeping the display on while streaming music, would eat more battery life than it's gaining.

 

[OnTheZone]

Slow as hell at doing what?

Backing up and restoring on the computer, photos and videos. I personally use iCloud for everything but some still use the computer.

 

[kcamfork]

It didn't stop them from cutting off the old connector to go with Lightening Connectors. I can totally see them just cutting off Lightening.

Here's a novel idea. Get rid of the cosmetic left speaker grill and put BOTH a lightning port AND a USB-C port.

I know. I'm a genius.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Who cares how fast wireless charging is if there's a regular port available? I, like most owners charge their phones while they sleep. I'd love to just place it on a pad like my Apple Watch and have it charge. Don't care if it takes 10 mins, 30 mins, or 5 hours as I'm sleeping.

For fast charging (or iPhone slow charging), you can still plug it in.

Look at the comment I was responding to. I was responding to someone saying the iPhone should be portless. It's just not doable yet.

 

[iZac]

Will start at $1,000 USD, and will sell every one assembled. Apple has taken control of the "above average income" sector. Like it or not it's Tim.

Don't get me wrong, I'll most likely be buying one... but I don't have to be happy about it

 

[belvdr]

Here's a novel idea. Get rid of the cosmetic left speaker grill and put BOTH a lightning port AND a USB-C port.

I know. I'm a genius.

There goes the low-end response of my HiFi iPhone...

 

[78Bandit]

Because there is no possibility that you buy an iPhone other than the most expensive model, and there is no possibility that you can just _not buy anything_. When Apple releases a new phone, your only choices are either buying it, or switching to Android.

There is a new Mercedes Maybach starting at £172,000, so I suppose all Mercedes owners are going to sell their cars now...

The point you miss with this analogy is that Apple should not be in the business of making stratified products distinguished by extravagant features. Apple reached the point it is at today because of Steve Jobs vision of making the iPhone the best possible product in terms of user experience and modern, simplistic design. Even that was a direct result of his focus on the Mac, the MacBook, and the iPod. He culled all the crap out of Apple's lineup to offer only what provided the best user experience.

Now Tim Cook is applying his philosophy of moving certain models upscale hoping to appeal to affluent buyers. I have no doubt Angela Ahrendts, with her Burberry background, is also heavily involved in making even greater exclusivity a prime selling point. What this will do is detract from the appeal of the 7S and 7S+ and give the impression they are "cheap" phones. The Samsung Galaxy S8 with a rumored 5.8" screen and $850 price will be more than competitive against a similarly designed 5.15" iPhone costing $1,000+.

Steve Jobs said it back in 1995. "What ruined Apple was not growth … They got very greedy … Instead of following the original trajectory of the original vision, which was to make the thing an appliance and get this out there to as many people as possible … they went for profits."

Apple doesn't need a Maybach equivalent in its lineup anymore than it needs a Yugo equivalent. Apple needs to get back to its roots and focus on making one model where function is primary and all the design elements are created to enhance that function. This is the 10th anniversary of the iPhone and Apple should be putting all its resources into ensuring the iPhone 8 is a worthy successor that will have mass appeal rather than having essentially a special limited edition with a $250 - $350 price premium over the current models.

 

[bighype]

iPhone is dying. With every new model, Apple is selling less and less of them now. Market share is falling too.

This is all due to Tim Cook abandoning the lower-end market. They don't have an iPhone 5C equivalent anymore.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Fair enough, but again I wouldn't blankently say they wouldn't do it, because they've clearly done stuff like this in the past that screwed over a lot of folks.

OK, it's a 0.001% chance

They only do "stuff like this", if it fits in with their long term strategy for that particular device category. USB-C in no objective way fits into Apple's long-term mobile device strategy, i.e. wireless audio, wireless data transfer (including iCloud), wireless charging (coming soon, already here in Apple Watch).

 

[name99]

Slow as hell at doing what?

They ARE slow at sync/backup via iTunes. This may not matter to some people, but let's all try to remember that the world does not revolve around us and us alone...
It is very obvious when engaged in sync/backup via iTunes that the process is frequently gated by USB-2 (basically IO is happening at ~32MB/s).

 

[Apple 26.2]

Additionally, in a new claim likely to cause much debate...

As it should. Though the 2016 MBPs are backwards compatible with the current line of iDevices through the use of dongles - it's backwards. No reason for that.

With an edge-to-edge design, the iPhone 8 is said to be similar in size to the 4.7-inch iPhone, but with a display the size of the 5.5-inch iPhone.

You know what I'm here to say: Please don't have the premium iPhone 8 be the size of a phablet.

According to one report, the iPhone 8 could cost upwards of $1,000.

That's ok, I'm saving my pennies!

 

[ThisBougieLife]

I'm glad that Apple is moving away from proprietary connectors. I "knew this day would come". Hopefully that means they eliminate it elsewhere and offer some USB-C earphones.

 

[MrX8503]

• Lightning is also a standard. And USB-C (for being a "standard") can cause a world of trouble.
• More pins benefits Apple mobile device customers, how?
• Cheaper doesn't mean anything when you're talking about a $700 phone
• 100w, for charging a phone?

Because it's bigger.

lol and let's not forget that there aren't any 100w cables available! USB-C has the 100w spec, but it's not that easy to implement. Anyone that's been shopping for USB-C perpherials knows full well that it's the wild west. You never know if it's going to kill your device, not up to spec, or simply just doesn't work.

Don't get me wrong, I love USB-C, but it's very difficult finding reliable USB-C perpherals so I usually buy it direct from Apple.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

We don't know what Apple has in store for this year's iPhone, when it comes to wireless charging capabilities. Sure, they can keep Lightning, for scenarios like you're describing. But exactly zero people have ever said "my Lightning connector with this 2amp+ charger is taking too long, if only I had a USB-C connector on my phone instead".

Personally, for myself and many others.....Lightening cables have a high failure rate. That's the big issue. To the point that, I baby my lightening cords more than my iOS devices.

Plus one standard is better. Everyone has micro-USB cords from random devices, and that's rapidly changing over to USB-C.

You know what's bigger than Lightening and USB-C put together? ADAPTERS!!!!

 

[69Mustang]

I was originally replying to someone who seemed to be critiquing Apple's lead, or lack thereof in the smartphone industry. If this was mistaken, then I'm sorry.

But the "what ifs" are not baseless, or irrelevant. Apple is leading the industry, but what's more troubling is that it's chief competitor - Samsung - seems to have had no ideas other than "make the screen bigger" and "curve the edges of the screen" - both ideas that when absent from iPhone, didn't seem to hurt the product.

Other than that it's "polish" - get the screen as good as possible. Make sure the megapixel count is higher. Processor has more cores. Etc.

So when people say "Apple used to lead" it brings to mind all of this and seems incredibly wrong. I didn't mean to rant, but I did mean to highlight

Even though I agree with none of what you said, I can respect that it's how you feel. To each his own.

 

[JoEw]

Unfortunately no. Lightning is 8-pin and USB-C is 24-pin.

Apple very much backs USBC it just wasn't ready till way later than they wanted, I think Lightening was a bridge.