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iPhone 8 Rumors from KGI Research

Predictions of the iPhone 8 from KGI Research

February 16, 2017

Rumors of the iPhone 8 have been circulating the internet, including speculation from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone 8 Screen and Form-factor

Kuo claims the new 2017 iPhone will feature a 5.8-inch display – taking up the entire front panel of the device. This effectively eliminates the bezel of the device, implying there will no longer be a home button or TouchID fingerprint reader.

In-depth predictions of physical size:

More detailed size specification were also revealed by KGI research, as reported by MacRumors.com:

Size wise, Kuo says the OLED iPhone will have measurements similar to the 4.7-inch iPhone, allowing for one-handed operation. Such a size is possible with a 5.8-inch panel because there will be no extra space outside of the display. It will feature a display similar in size to the 5.5-inch iPhone, but in a 4.7-inch package.

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The OLED iPhone will be “the only bright spot” in the 2017 iPhone lineup, suggesting only minor improvements for the other two rumored devices.

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Kuo continues to believe Apple will also offer standard 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch LCD iPhones, but it is not yet clear what features those devices will adopt. In previous research notes, Kuo has said they will include glass bodies and wireless charging, but he has not gone into detail on other potential features. He does, however, say that the OLED iPhone will be “the only bright spot” in the 2017 iPhone lineup, suggesting only minor improvements for the other two rumored devices.

While Kuo hasn’t been particularly accurate in his past (and numerous) predictions, the trends he identifies do seem to appear on-track with Apple product launches.

In summary, Ming-Chi Kuo’s iPhone 8 predictions:

5.8” OLED Display
Removal of Home button/TouchID (some reports say Apple will be using 3D face recognition in place of TouchID)
Virtual buttons on bottom portion of device, on the new OLED screen (similar to the new Mac Touch Bar)
Improved battery life (a result of Apple’s new stacked logic board design)
High price point (in excess of $1,000 unsubsidized)
Wireless charging