iPhone 8 'Impossible Design

The iPhone 8 has an impossible design. According to multiple sources, Apple AAPL -0.18% will create an almost bezel-less design yet it will also integrate both the fingerprint sensor and front facing cameras under the screen. The former is plausible but the latter didn’t make sense, until now…

The explanation comes from two independent leaks which dovetail perfectly. The first is a parts leak from regular Apple goldmine Weibo, the second a detailed schematic from my regular collaborator Benjamin Geskin which he obtained via Apple’s notoriously leaky supply chain.

What both illustrate is the iPhone 8 will indeed have a near bezel-less design, but the front camera (or cameras) will not be under the display. Instead a cutout will be made which still leaves space for permanent information like the time, date and signal strength. This is a move Sharp is also anticipated to make with its upcoming Aquos R Compact

Of course the obvious counterpoint to this is to ask: Where will notifications reside if the cutout takes away a lot of this space?

But this is likely already answered by the new ‘function area’. A MacBook Pro-style touch bar will replace the home button with contextual controls and it would allow for more detailed information. It would also be easier to reach than stretching to the top of the phone, especially with the iPhone 8 expected to sport an enlarged 5.8-inch display.

Needless to say, while all this appears to add-up (and leaks have correctly revealed all major iPhone details ahead of launch for many years), the definitive word will only come when Tim Cook takes to the stage in September.

That said, with a disappointing ‘Plan B’ backup design apparently off the table, expectations for Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone launch are understandably skyrocketing.