Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

We have some bad news about next year’s iPhone 8

Published Oct 27th, 2016 9:41AM EDT

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

A surprising report from Nikkei on Wednesday said that Apple will unveil three fresh new iPhone 8 models next year, including the familiar 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch flavors that fans expect, but also a 5-inch version that might be the perfect size so many iPhone users have been waiting for. However, it appears the report is already being disputed. A source familiar with Apple’s iPhone plans claims that there are only two new versions of the iPhone 8 in the works, and they’ll come in familiar sizes.

MUST WATCH: iPhone 7 vs. Pixel real-world speed test: The showdown we’ve been waiting for

This mysterious single unnamed source has supposedly provided accurate details about Apple’s products in the past, according to Apple Insider, and he or she says that Apple is working on 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 8 models. The source did reiterate one detail offered by Nikkei though, suggesting that Apple is going to replace the aluminum case-back with glass next year.

“Current plans for ‘iPhone 8’ include a ‘glass sandwich’ chassis incorporating an AMOLED display, though fallback designs are also being explored, the person said. While initial structural tests on early prototypes appear to be promising, Apple is readying backup contingencies in parallel with primary development,” the blog wrote.

What’s interesting about next year’s iPhone isn’t just the size of the screens but the size of the iPhones themselves. Apple is rumored to be ditching the home button from its iPhones, which would help it eliminate much of the space beneath the display. Furthermore, the top bezel might also go away too, as Apple is looking to integrate the various components that are found on the front of the iPhone above the screen into the display itself.

An all-screen iPhone might help Apple reduce the overall size of its handsets, and make them easier to use with just one hand. Xiaomi already has a new phone that foreshadows the design changes that are supposedly coming to flagship smartphones next year.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.