Apple's 'iPhone 8' to use 'water drop design' with curved, 3D glass back - report

The glass on the new device will create a "curved wall" on the back, according to one of several ETNews sources. Since the iPhone 4, Apple has minimized or in some cases eliminated any tapering.

As expected Apple will pair the back with a modestly curved OLED display, ETNews added. Some earlier reports hinted that the device might use a more dramatic curve — like the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge — but Apple is believed to be going with a simpler design to ease manufacturing.

The "iPhone 8" should still look radically different from the first iPhone, not the least because of size. Most reports agree that the new device will sport an edge-to-edge, 5.8-inch OLED panel, much improved over the original's 3.5-inch LCD. At the same time it will probably be far thinner — the 2007 phone was nearly half an inch thick.

Apple is moreover thought to be ditching a physical home button for a virtual "function area," which should not only change functionality but help shrink the bottom bezel.

Other "iPhone 8" features are believed to include wireless charging and 3D facial recognition. The device could come at a steep cost however, potentially in excess of $1,000. One report referred to it as the "iPhone Edition," suggesting a rich target audience like the ceramic Apple Watch Edition.

For regular iPhone buyers Apple is allegedly developing the "iPhone 7s" and "7s Plus," which should be similar to the iPhone 7 line but with a few upgrades, including some "iPhone 8" perks like wireless charging.