'iPhone 8' to come in three sizes, feature glass backs across the board - report

Apple is planning to launch next year's flagship iPhone in 4.7-, 5-, and 5.5-inch sizes, and will likely use glass backs for all three, a Japanese report claimed on Wednesday.

The company could still go back to the metal casings used on current iPhones, a source explained to Nikkei Asian Review, calling Apple's position on glass "tentative." The person added that Apple likewise decided to drop production of a single-lens 5.5-inch iPhone 7 just six months before the iPhone 7 Plus debuted in September.

Both the front and back glass will allegedly be supplied by Biel and Lens. The phone should still make some use of metal, namely a frame holding both sides together.

Foxconn and its subsidiaries have reportedly been working on glass backs, but are expected to lose out for technological reasons. That could impact the company's bottom line, since it also makes metal casings for the iPhone SE and iPhone 7 Plus, sharing regular iPhone 7 casing orders with Catcher and Jabil. Foxconn is, however, Apple's main assembly partner on the iPhone.

The 2017 iPhone is widely expected to be a major redesign. Nikkei has indicated that while the 5.5-inch model will have a curved OLED display, much like Samsung's Galaxy S7 Edge, the two smaller models may stick to the LTPS technology used on the iPhone 7.

33 Comments

ireland 17435 comments · 18 Years

About 8 years ago

If the 4.7" is as comfortable to hold and not much heavier than SE that would be nice. Especially if all three have feature parity. My only concern is how when dropped both sides may smash. I fail to see how that's better than an aluminium unibody construction.

thewhitefalcon 4444 comments · 10 Years

ireland said:

If the 4.7" is as comfortable to hold and not much heavier than SE that would be nice. Especially if all three have feature parity. My only concern is how when dropped both sides may smash. I fail to see how that's better than an aluminium unibody construction.

I mean, we've already had this glass and metal sandwich design with the 4 and 4S. Sure, some broke, but it wasn't epidemic.

Chumlines 3 comments · 8 Years

I hope they make it thinner so that when I get a battery case to protect the glass and extend the battery life, it will still be thinner than last year's model.

tmay 6455 comments · 11 Years

Be nice if the 5 inch would support the Pencil; plenty of demand for such, and that would put pressure on the Note 8 for people that would consider iOS.

schlack 727 comments · 11 Years

wish they'd make the 4" phone a full on iPhone 8 rather than a second class citizen...