There seems to be some confusion over nomenclature of the new iPhone. A report had emerged last week indicating that the much-awaited Apple anniversary mobile will be called the iPhone Edition, not the iPhone 8. Now, another report has surfaced online claiming it might be named differently.
Dutch technology blog iCulture, citing a reliable source, has claimed Apple's special commemorative mobile will be called the "iPhone X", and the successors of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus series will instead be named the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
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Both the rumoured names — iPhone Edition and the iPhone X — look plausible, because Apple in 2016 announced the iPhone SE [Special Edition] to bring back the 4.0-inch screen model, which was last seen in iPhone 5S (2013). Apple has also used alphabets, particularly the "X", in its Mac OS series.
But, if we were asked to guess, we'd go for the "iPhone X", as the character "X", if taken as Roman numeral perfectly symbolises the 10th-anniversary mobile. This will also allow Apple to continue with the numerical order for the generic models (like iPhone 8, 9, etc...) and again after a decade, it can call 20th commemorative model the "iPhone XX".
Furthermore, iCulture was one of the first to accurately predict the launch of the 10.5-inch iPad earlier this year. Based on the blog's track record of leaking information on Apple products, we believe the Cupertino-based company is most likely to announce "iPhone X" next week.
And yet, both the names are purely speculative in nature and we urge our readers to not take this report as the final word and instead wait for a few days more to know what Apple has in store on September 12 at the newly-constructed Steve Jobs Theater.
Apple iPhone X: What we know so far
As per information gathered so far, Apple iPhone X has a new design language with edge-to-edge bezel-less screen. To make room from extra display, the physical home-cum-fingerprint sensor has been trans-located but there are no conclusive reports on where it has been shifted to.
Two theories are floating on the Internet on that: One suggests that Apple has to put the sensor on the wake/sleep button to the right side of the frame, similar to Sony's flagship Xperia phones.
Another says Apple has successfully developed an advanced sensor that will be placed just below the screen, with the owner able to wake and unlock the phone by putting his/her finger anywhere on the screen.
While the left side will house the volume rockers (up & down) and the ring/silent-mode button, the iPhone X at the bottom will feature a lightning port in the middle with stereo speakers on both the sides. Don't expect the 3.5mm audio jack to return in the anniversary phone.
Beside the display, another highlight of the iPhone X is said to its front-camera. It is expected to come with facial and gesture-recognition laser sensors to help authenticate the owner's face and also scan iris patterns to unlock the screen.
Furthermore, the front camera will have 3D capability, wherein the iPhone 8 users will be able to play AR (Augmented Reality) games on their devices with the protagonists featuring a 3D image of their own face.
On the back, it is said to house a vertically aligned dual-camera on the left corner, while rest of the body has simplistic plain design — as seen in current models. The primary camera is expected to house a 12MP sensor and a TelePhoto lens for in-depth scene information.
Other stipulated specifications include True Tone display feature (as seen in the iPad Pro), a new-generation Apple A11 Fusion CPU, and higher RAM and battery capacity with wireless charging capabilities.
Apple iPhone X's starting price is said to be $999 (€834/Rs 63,896), making it the costliest Apple phone to date.
Apple iPhone 8 & the 8 Plus: Everything you need to know
The generic iPhone 8 and the 8 Plus are said to have same design language as seen their predecessors — iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, respectively.
However, they will come with incremental upgrades in terms internal hardware, which includes the new A11 series Fusion CPU backed by 4GB (in iPhone 8 Plus)/3GB (iPhone 8) RAM and bigger battery.
The iPhone 8 is said to cost $649 (€542/Rs 41,515), whereas the iPhone 8 Plus is expected to set you back by $769 (€643/Rs 49,191).
[Note: Apple iPhones' prices stated in rupees is based on exchange rates and not actual cost in the Indian market.]
The new iPhones are expected to be put up for pre-order on September 15 and hit stores the following Friday, September 22.
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