iPhone 8 Predicted Specs, Features Include Stainless Steel Edges For Premium Models, All-Glass Front And Back Casing

Apple is slated to launch its special 10th anniversary iPhone — referred internally as the iPhone 8 — next year. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus did not set the bar high as they only came with minor updates save for the latter’s dual-lens camera system. Having said these, the expectations are high for the 2017 models.

There have been previous reports about the next iPhones sporting edge-to-edge display sans the Home button, and now KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has revealed some of the things that are likely to be used for the radical redesign of the smartphones. Revealing his predictions for the 2017 iPhone lineup on Thursday, Kuo says the tech giant is likely to bring all-glass casing to its iPhones following the skyrocketing demand for the Jet Black models of the current handsets, as per MacRumors.

Kuo points out that Apple’s competitors are likely to release smartphones with glossy metal or glass casing to follow what Apple has done with its Jet Black iPhones. Because of this, Samsung’s biggest rival is expected to launch 2017 iPhone models with a glossy finish design with better scratch resistance for improved user satisfaction.

The Jet Black iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models are vulnerable to scratching and scuffing, but this did not hamper the demand for the variants to reach unexpected heights. Thus, Apple is likely to seek for a material with glossy finish, but is more durable and more capable of withstanding damages due to scratches.

Kuo maintains, however, that it is still not possible for Apple to release iPhones with all-glass casing at this point, so the tech giant could be looking into using metal frames to surround the edges of the front and back glass casing for “reinforced structure design.” Kuo says stainless steel could be the material of choice for the frame, but its expensive cost could mean that only the premium or high-end iPhone 8 models will be sporting them next year, Apple Insider has learned.

Kuo’s new predictions for the upcoming iPhones come a day after it was found out that Apple is already working on the iPhone 8 in its Herzliya office in Israel. An employee even revealed earlier that the 2017 iPhone is going to sport better camera technology than what the current lineup is rocking at present.