According to a latest and lengthy report from JPMorgan, Apple’s upcoming ‘modest upgrade’ iPhone 7s will have its back covered with glass while the larger 5.8-inch iPhone will have an OLED display with radical changes. In the report, the analyst breaks down his prediction about the upcoming 2017 iPhone models.
The analyst believes that the display on the OLED iPhone will be edge-to-edge horizontally, but not vertically (see the picture below). The analyst also predicts that the fruit company will bundle its latest pair of wireless AirPods with the iPhone 8 for free.
When it comes to how successful JPMorgan’s predictions are, then there is not a good track record when it comes to Apple rumors. The analyst from the same firm recently claimed that Apple would announce the new iPhone next month, which seems highly likely and most of the other analysts do not agree to that.
Among the three new iPhones that Apple has planned for this year, two are going to be the iterative phones, dubbed as the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus. The analyst believes that the company has planned some aesthetic changes to these two new models compared to the current iPhone 7 and the 7 Plus. These changes include the introduction of 2.5D glass on the rear and the wireless charging feature. Please note that KGI has made similar claims in the recent past.
JPMorgan believes that the 10th-anniversary addition will mesh stainless steel and glass but the iPhone 7s chassis will be made of aluminum and glass retaining the aluminum sides.
The report includes a diagram depicting a 5.8-inch iPhone 8 with an edge-to-edge display horizontally, but bezels on the top and the bottom. This diagram contradicts a recent report from another chain of rumors that claims the front of the iPhone 8 will be completely covered with the display.
The authenticity of these drawings remains unknown, we don’t know if they represent a rough approximation or accurate dimensions of the iPhone 8. The drawings of the internal compartment are also very rough and depict a rough layout of the battery and the logic board – showing a 30% larger L-shape battery that KGI also talked about.
JPMorgan’s report does not talk about the fingerprint sensor and its location on the iPhone 8. It literally leaves it as an unanswered ‘?’ mark in its summary table. The diagrams, however, seem to have a closer resemblance to earlier schematics leaks that had the Touch ID sensor on the back side of the device.
The report also suggests that there is a possibility of Apple including its latest pair of wireless AirPods in the iPhone 8 box. But if we think about the price point of the AirPods as compared to the regular EarPods, it seems highly likely of Apple. Secondly, Apple is already giving a six-week shipping estimate for its AirPods on Apple.com. Why would a company like Apple bottleneck the iPhone 8 supply because of an accessory?
The report further adds what we have been hearing about the iPhone 8 over and over. JPMorgan also believes that the iPhone 8 will have optical image stabilization in both of its cameras on the back and the device will also feature a new 3D sensing facial recognition technology int he front-facing camera. Other than that the report claims better speakers and enhanced waterproofing for the iPhone 8.
JPMorgan estimates that the addition of new internal and external components to the iPhone 8 will cost Apple additional $75-$80 per unit. Please note that the estimate if for the build cost of materials and does not include manufacturign and R&D’s costs.