According to a new report from Macotakara, Apple’s flagship 2017 iPhone — a device that has been prematurely dubbed the iPhone 8 — will actually be called the iPhone Edition. While nothing is ever certain until Tim Cook and co. actually walk out on stage, the iPhone Edition nomenclature actually makes a lot more sense than the iPhone 8 name ever did.
First off, releasing a device called the iPhone 8 alongside two iPhone 7s models would immediately make Apple’s non-OLED smartphones seem outdated at launch. Second, the “Edition” naming scheme — thanks to the Apple Watch — is already familiar and fits nicely as a descriptor for Apple’s premium devices.
Naming conventions aside, Macotakara relays that the iPhone Edition may ship much later than the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus. Disappointing news to say the least, the report claims that Apple simply needs more time to test the device before it’s ready for primetime.
Specifically, Apple is said to have a few iPhone Edition prototypes in the EVT (Engineering Validation Test) phase but that no single prototype has reached the DVT (Design Validation Test) phase yet. As a quick primer, DVT is one step above EVT and comes into play when Apple finally nails down the exact design and feature-set it wants to ultimately ship to consumers.
As for the reasons behind the delay, Apple is reportedly still exploring what types of materials it wants to use, the exact display technology it wants to incorporate and whether it wants to do away with the home button or not. As a quick aside, the report claims that Apple is considering using white ceramic as a potential material for the iPhone Edition.
According to the report, the only iPhone Edition features Apple has firmly signed off on include the display size, wireless charging functionality and a dual camera setup. The report also notes that Apple has no plans to abandon the Lightning connector for a USB-C solution, thus dousing an intriguing rumor which emerged last week.
Now as for when Apple’s somewhat mythical iPhone Edition might hit store shelves, well, that’s still anybody’s guess. Shedding a little bit of light on the matter, Digitimes last week claimed that Apple isn’t planning to begin mass producing its edgeless iPhone until September on account of a new fingerprint sensor solution it’s planning to implement. If this is indeed the case, the iPhone Edition may not arrive in stores until November.
