iPhone 8 gets refresh with red color option

MANILA - Apple refreshed its iPhone 8 line on Tuesday with a red color option, adding it to a range of products wherein a portion of sales will be used to fund the fight the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Cupertino, California-based Apple is giving its iPhones a scarlet hue mid-way into its release cycle for the second year in a row. Unlike the red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus which had white fronts, the red iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have black fronts.

Apple did not announce a red color option for the pricier iPhone X. The company is expected to release new iPhones by the fourth quarter.

With the Product (RED) line of iPhones, iPods and accessories, Apple said it raised so far $160 million for HIV/AIDS research.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

These are the most searched phones on Google in 2017

MANILA - Google highlighted this year’s trending gadgets in the Philippines in its annual “Year in Search.” A mix of high-end and mid-range smart phones topped the list.

Apple's iPhone X and iPhone 8 are the top two most search phones this year, Google said in a statement released Wednesday. 

While Chinese brand Huawei bagged the third spot with its Nova 2i smart phone.

 “In a way, the Year in Search offers us a glimpse of what we liked as a people, what issues affected us, what sparked our interest, and everything in between that appealed to our emotions the past year,” said Google Philippines head of communications and public affairs Gail Tan.

With iPhone X and iPhone 8 topping the list, it shows that the tech savvy Filipinos aspire to get a hold of the latest in mobile technology despite the phones’ skyrocketing prices.

 

Chinese brand Oppo has the most number of gadgets on the list with its range of affordable smart phones including Oppo F5, Oppo F1s and Oppo F3.

Top 10 Searched Phones in the Philippines

    1. iPhone X
    2. iPhone 8
    3. Huawei Nova 2i
    4. Oppo F5
    5. Oppo F1s
    6. Samsung Galaxy J7 Pro
    7. Nokia 6
    8. Samsung Galaxy J2 Prime
    9. Oppo F3
   10. Nokia 3310

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Apple prices iPhone X in Philippines, on sale Dec. 1

MANILA - Apple officially priced its iPhone X in the Philippines ahead of its Dec. 1 release, as the 8 and 8 Plus models went on sale on Friday.

The near bezel-less iPhone X, the handset's most radical redesign since 2014, will cost a minimum P64,490, according to Apple's Philippine page. The base models sells for roughly P67,000 in unofficial stores.

In the US, the base model with 64 gigabytes of storage sells for $999 or roughly P51,000.

Apple priced the iPhone 8 Plus at P51,490 for the 64 GB model and P60,990 for the 256 GB variant, according to its website.

The smaller iPhone 8 starts at P44,990 for the base 64 GB model and P54,490 for the 256 GB model.

Local carriers Globe and Smart have also released their pricing for the new iPhones.

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As iPhone X release looms, Google explains Pixel 2 woes

MANILA - Google said Friday it was preparing software updates to address display issues in its second-generation Pixel phones, as Apple prepared to take pre-orders for its 10th anniversary iPhone.

Early reviews of the new Pixel phones noted that the displays were less vibrant compared to the competition and the larger XL model was showing signs of screen aging or "burn-in."

The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL went on sale last week in select markets, highlighting Google's push into hardware that also includes an artificial intelligence-powered speaker and earphones that provide real-time language translation.

"We take these reports very seriously and wanted to provide an update," said Mario Queiroz, vice president for product management at Google Hardware.

Software updates will arrive in the "next few weeks," Queiroz said in a post on Google's Pixel support page.

Google tuned the Pixel displays to a "more natural and accurate rendition of colors," he said.

Screen aging was "in line with that of other premium smartphones" and should not affect daily phone usage, he said.

Reviewers noted screen "burn-in" on the Pixel 2XL, wherein shadows of frequently displayed images, such as the on-screen navigation buttons, were faintly visible even when the panel was showing something else.


Google touted the new Pixel phones' camera capabilities, beating the iPhone 8 Plus and Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 in tests by photography website DxOMark.

The iPhone X, Apple's first ever phone with a near bezel-less screen, will be released in the US and other markets on Nov. 3, following what analysts said was a lackluster response to the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.

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Pixel 2 beats iPhone 8 Plus, Galaxy Note 8 in camera fight: reviews

MANILA - Google's second-generation Pixel phones have the best camera on a mobile phone, beating Apple's iPhone 8 Plus and Samsung's Galaxy Note 8, according to photography review website DxOMark.

Google's Pixel 2 phones scored 98 in DxOMark's tests based on 1,500 test images and 2 hours of video, the reviewer said on its website. The iPhone 8 Plus and the Galaxy Note 8 tied at second place with 94 each.


There was no rating yet for the iPhone X, which will be on sale later this year. Only the iPhone 8 Plus and Galaxy Note 8 are available in the Philippines so far. The new Pixel phones have a single lens rear camera set up compared to the twin lenses on the iPhone and the Note.

The camera on the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL had "excellent" auto focus, "very good" white balance and "good detail preservation," DxOMark said in its review. The camera, however, had flare and flickering issues and some details are lost with zoom.


The iPhone 8 Plus has the best "bokeh" effect or background blur and high dynamic range or the ability to differentiate between dark and light portions of an image, according to the review. The sensor, however, had "some auto focus issues."

Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 had "excellent" zoom up to 4 times and delivered "very low" noise in low light. Auto-focus was fast and accurate with bright and vivid colors, DxOMark said. Dynamic range, however is "limited" and the "bokeh" effect was not visible at times even when the feature was turned on.

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iPhone 8 goes on sale to muted fanfare around the world

SAN FRANCISCO/SYDNEY/TOKYO - Apple Inc's weekend launch of the iPhone 8 kicked off with less fanfare than new models in previous years in the United States, Asia, Australia and Britain, as fans held out for the premium iPhone X, due out in early November.

In San Francisco's Union Square, 50 miles from Apple's Cupertino headquarters, just 80 people were lined up at the company's flagship store, a sharp contrast to years past when lines stretched for blocks when new products were released.

In Australia, hundreds of people usually gather at Apple's Sydney city store, with queues winding down George Street in the central business district. But there were fewer than 30 people lining up before the store opened on Friday, according to a Reuters witness.

Apple's flagship store in London's Regent Street also experienced a slim turnout, according to several British newspapers.

Shares of the company were down 1.3 percent to $151.39 in afternoon trading Friday. The stock has lost 6.3 percent since closing at $161.50 on Sept. 11, a day before its new products were announced.

While the number of people queuing up outside Apple stores has dropped over the past several years with many buyers choosing to shop online, the weak turnout for the latest iPhone has partly been due to poor reviews.

Mazen Kourouche, who was first in queue in Sydney after lining up 11 days outside the store so he could buy and review the product on YouTube, said there were modest refinements.

"(It) is pretty similar to the iPhone 7 but it shoots 4k 60 frames per second and it's got a new glass back instead of the metal which is apparently more durable," he told Reuters. "There aren't too many new features to this one."

In China, a loyal Apple customer said the improved camera was one of the reasons she had bought the new device.

"I waited until midnight to watch the launch event with my boyfriend to learn what's new with this iPhone. Its photograph function is pretty good. So I think I must change with no hesitation," said Ta Na, a 29-year-old consumer in Shanghai.

Mentions of iPhone 8 and iPhone X on the popular Chinese social media platform Weibo, an indicator of consumer interest, were less than seen for previous launches.

In San Francisco, customers waiting in line were evenly split between those interested in the iPhone 8 and those looking to buy the Apple Watch Series 3. The latest watch includes standalone cellular data connectivity for the first time, meaning it can be used to make phone calls without an iPhone nearby.

Chayce O'Neal, 27, said he had come to buy the new watch and wasn't discouraged by reviews that mentioned connectivity problems. But he was skipping the iPhone 8 and holding out for the iPhone X.

"I like being on top of the cutting edge of technology," he said.

Indifferent reviews of the iPhone 8, which comes 10 years after Apple released the first version of the revolutionary phone, drove down shares of the company to near two-month lows of $152.75 on Thursday, as investors worried pre-orders for the device had come in well below previous launches.

The iPhone 8 will only cater to those who want a new version but do not want to pay a hefty $999 for the iPhone X, said iTWire.com's technology editor Alex Zaharov-Reutt, who did not line up for the launch.

That was the case for Damien Roberts, a customer in line at Apple's San Francisco store. Roberts owns a battered iPhone 6s and wanted an upgrade to the iPhone 8 Plus for phone calls, messages and playing his favorite video game "Clash of Clans." He said he didn't need the extra features of the $999 iPhone X.

"It's a lot of money to shell out for a phone," said Roberts, a Briton who was purchasing the phone while on vacation.

Speaking to CNBC, Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said the Apple Watch with cellular data service is "sold out in so many places around the world" and iPhone 8 models were also sold out. He did not specify the locations he was referring to.

The iPhone X is a glass and stainless steel device with an edge-to-edge display that Cook has called "the biggest leap forward since the original iPhone".

"I think it'll be more lively with more people with the iPhone X," said Ray Yokoyama, after buying an iPhone 8 in Tokyo.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

iPhone X shipping delay may dampen Apple's holiday quarter

Apple Inc's highly anticipated iPhone X features a slew of innovations but delayed availability could hurt holiday-quarter sales.

The much-hyped event on Tuesday unveiled three new phones, an advanced watch that can take calls and a new Apple TV, but die-hard fans will not be able to get their hands on the iPhone X until Nov. 3 - much later than iPhone 8's shipping date of Sept. 22.

The delay in shipping of the iPhone X could hurt Apple's seasonally-strong fiscal first quarter as orders get pushed to the following quarter. The phone will start at $999 for the 64 GB version.

Apple's shares were down 1 percent at $159.35 in early trading on Wednesday.

Although decked out with facial recognition technology, front and back glass, a 5.8-inch edge to edge display, wireless charging and animated emojis, some analysts said the delay tempers near-term sales and a few adjusted their estimates.

"Given one month less sales for the iPhone X during the December quarter, we have reduced our December quarter iPhone sales estimates from 84 million to 79 million units," Canaccord Genuity analysts wrote in a client note.

The company's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus did not veer far away from previous models, sporting modest new features such as a glass body, wireless charging, better camera and a faster processor. This could lead consumers to wait for the iPhone X.

"None of the features in the version 8 product will likely accelerate demand," Mizuho analysts wrote in a note.

Apple typically launches new iPhones in September and a big jump in sales usually follows in the holiday quarter, as users tend to upgrade devices when new phones sport significant design changes.

Apple last saw a significant uptick in sales with the introduction of iPhone 6 in 2015.

While the delay of the iPhone X could hurt near-term sales, analysts still think Apple's loyal and hungry fans would lap up the new phone, boosting sales for fiscal 2018.

Brokerage UBS said it continues to estimate 246 million phones in fiscal 2018 – up 15 percent.

Apple, which is trying to energize sales in China, could hit a wall selling the pricey new phones there. The 8 and 8 plus start at $699 and the iPhone X is Apple's most expensive phone.

The high price of the iPhone X may not affect sales in the United States, where telecom carriers subsidize phone ownership, but it might dent sales in China and India.

But even with the lack of major surprises, Apple's phones are still expected to sell well.

"It will still sell in enormous volumes because Apple has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to persuade consumers to shift their overall spending to place a greater share of their disposable income towards a smartphone purchase," IHS Markit analyst wrote in a note.

(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr and Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

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iPhone X signals $1-trillion milestone within reach for Apple: analysis

At around $830 billion, Apple Inc's stock market value on the day of its newest iPhone launch towers over its next-largest rival and has Wall Street asking: Will it be the first listed company to crack the Big T?

If history is any guide, the unveiling on Tuesday of the iPhone X - the 10-year anniversary edition of Apple's ubiquitous device - signals that the $1 trillion milestone could well be breached within the year.

Apple shares on average have gained around 33 percent in the year following each of its previous iPhone launch events, dating back to the first one on Jan 9, 2007. It has gained in the following year after seven of the 10 announcements while falling in three.

From their current level, Apple shares need to gain roughly 20 percent to sport the world's first 13-digit market cap. (Some analysts and the Saudi royal family have pegged global oil giant Saudi Aramco's value at $2 trillion or more, but there will be no public record to confirm that until after its initial public offering next year.)

Of the 38 Wall Street analysts covering Apple, two already have price targets for the stock that see it driving above the $1 trillion level.

Brian White of Drexel Hamilton, whose $208 price target for the shares is highest on the Street and would equate to a $1.075 trillion market value at the current number of shares outstanding, came away from Tuesday's event convinced the stock has further to run.

"We continue to believe Apple's stock will not only benefit from the upcoming iPhone cycle but also the company's capital distribution initiative, attractive valuation and potential new innovations," White wrote in a note to clients. "As such, we do not believe Apple's run will end with today's iPhone event but still has attractive upside potential."

Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty said in a note to clients after Tuesday's event that the augmented reality (AR) features in Apple's new phone lineup "has the potential to become the next killer app that accelerates smartphone upgrades and drives increased services monetization and growth."

Her current price target of $182, which is 13 percent above Tuesday's closing price of $160.86, would equal a market value of about $940 billion, but Huberty has a "bull case" target of $253 on the stock, or just over $1.3 trillion at current shares outstanding.

Apple shares are up 52 percent in the last year.

Apple unveils new iPhones

Apple has released the iPhone8 and iPhone 8 Plus, as well as the iPhone X which has an edge-to-edge display and unlocks by facial recognition. 

 

Since Apple first announced the iPhone product line in January 2007, its stock has gained more than 1,200 percent and delivered a total return, including reinvested dividends, of more than 1,375 percent. Its annualized total return of 28.7 percent in that period is nearly 3 times that of the Nasdaq Composite Index and almost 4 times what the benchmark S&P 500 has delivered.

And while at nearly $1,150, the new 256 gigabit iPhone X may seem like an eye-popping price, it is no more expensive - relative to Apple's stock price - than the first iPhone in 2007. The top-end version of the first generation iPhone, at $599, was worth a bit more than 7 Apple shares at the time, around the same as today in nominal terms.

Apple split its stock on a 7-to-1 basis three years ago. Adjusting for that, one share of pre-split Apple stock would be worth one nearly full iPhone X today.

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Apple unveils glass-body iPhone 8 models

Apple on Monday unveiled two new iPhone 8 models, with a new glass-body design and other improvements on the iconic smartphone.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook told a media event that the new handsets, the iPhone 8 and larger iPhone 8 Plus, represent "a huge step forward" for the California tech giant, which is marking the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.

Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller said the new devices were the first smartphones "really created for augmented reality," with improved power and graphics.

The unveiling event was the first at Apple's new "spaceship" campus in Cupertino, California.

Apple also unveiled an updated smartwatch and an upgraded streaming video system for 4K high-definition television.

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Will 'iPhone X' live up to Steve Jobs' visionary promise?

MANILA - When Apple founder Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in 2007, he brandished the metal and glass slab as a "revolutionary" device that "changes everything."

On Tuesday (early Wednesday in Manila), a new iPhone will be unveiled at a theater named after the late technology visionary. But leaks and reports point to a smartphone that is playing catch-up rather than blazing the trail in an increasingly saturated market.

A display that wraps around the entire front of the screen and wireless charging are among the rumored headline features of the top-tier device, which will reportedly called iPhone X and cost $1,000. Such features have long been available on handsets that run Google's Android software.

The first iPhone debuted with Blackberry and Nokia dominating the market, when consumers used their handheld computers primarily for e-mails.

Jobs hyped the first generation iPhone as a 3-in-1 device that combines its iPod music and video player, a phone and an "breakthrough internet communications device."

"Every once in a while, a revolutionary product comes along that changes everything," said Jobs, who was dressed in his signature jeans, sneakers and black turtleneck.

"Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone," he said.

STYLUS? YUCK

The full touch-screen iPhone was nothing like the Blackberrys of 2007, whose main selling point was a physical keyboard that allowed power users to type emails on the go.

Jobs famously mocked the stylus used in smart devices that preceded the iPhone.

"Who wants a stylus? You have to get them and put them away and you lose them. Yuck," Jobs said.

"We are going to use the pointing device that we are all born with We have 10 of them," he said.

The "multi-touch" display that allowed users to navigate the device using finger gestures was revolutionary at that time and Apple also blazed the trail with its application store on the second-generation iPhone, the iPhone 3G.

Apple was also the first to tout camera capabilities in a smartphone with 2011's iPhone 4s, a metal and glass sandwich that also came with Siri, a voice-controlled digital assistant that came half a decade ahead of Google's Assistant and Amazon's Alexa.

In 2013, Apple debuted Touch ID to allow iPhone users to unlock their devices and make online payments using their fingerprints.

FALLING BEHIND

Subsequent upgrades however had Apple catching up with rival Android manufacturers.

The screen size of 2012's iPhone 5 was increased to 4 inches from 3.5 inches as Android screens got bigger.

A 5.5-inch "Plus" model was added alongside a 4.7-inch version in the 2014 version, iPhone 6. Rival phones, at that time, had stretched screen sizes to as big as 6 inches in frames that are smaller than the largest iPhone.

In 2015, Apple introduced the Pencil to allow users to sketch on their iPad tablets, notwithstanding Jobs' disdain for the stylus.

Samsung had long touted the S-Pen stylus for its Galaxy Note line, whose latest version, Galaxy Note 8, was launched last month.

The rumored wraparound screen on the "iPhone X" was started last year by Chinese Xiaomi's Mi Mix last year and brought to the mainstream earlier this year by Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus.

Data from market tracker Counterpoint showed that Chinese manufacturer Huawei overtook Apple as the world's second biggest-selling smartphone maker in the June to July period.

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iPhone X, iPhone 8 names appear in Apple software codes

MANILA - The most radical redesign of Apple's iPhone in 4 years could be called iPhone X, according to codes from software that will power the device.

Firmware from iOS11 released by software developer Steven Throughton-Smith and cited by US tech websites showed references to iPhone X and iPhone 8.

The iPhone X name was used to refer to D22, the rumored code name of Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone, which is expected to feature a near bezel-less display and a glass body surrounded by a metal rim.

Apple will host an event in a California theater named after its late founder, Steve Jobs, on Sept. 12 (Sept. 13 in Manila), where it is expected to announce its new iPhone line

The device is expected to launch alongside 2 other models that will feature almost the same design as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus but with improved internals and glass shells instead of aluminum.

If Apple does name the 2 lesser priced models as iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 plus as the software codes suggest, it will mark a departure from following up the previous year's model with an "S" upgrade, indicating only internal changes.

The "X" moniker will also be a first for Apple to differentiate a higher-priced model. It has launched "pro" lines of the iPad and an "edition" version of the Apple Watch.

Apple under pressure to dazzle as market slows http://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/20/17/apple-under-pressure-to-dazzle-as-market-slows

Apple has kept the frame and layout of its most important device largely unchanged since the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in 2014. Last year's 7 line, which followed the 6s models, featured larger lenses and a dual lens on the larger model but retained the familiar aluminum body that has since spawned similar Android devices.

Cupertino, California-based Apple is a latecomer to the near bezel-less screen trend, started by Samsung with the S8 and S8 Plus and LG with the G6 earlier this year.

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Apple expected to unveil new iPhone on Sept. 12

Apple sent out invitations Thursday to a September 12 media event at which the US tech giant is expected to unveil new iPhone models for the 10th anniversary of the culture-changing smartphones.

The keenly anticipated event will be the first to take place in the Steve Jobs Theater at its new "spaceship" campus in Silicon Valley.

In trademark style, Apple revealed little in the invitation that provided the date, time, location and a message that read "Let's meet at our place."

Apple is under particular pressure to dazzle as the California-based company looks for ways to maintain its image as an innovation leader in a global market showing signs of slowing.

"Clearly, Apple wants to do something different for the 10th anniversary" of the iPhone, NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker told AFP.

Some reports say a new iPhone will include a high-quality, edge-to-edge screen with a notch in the top for an ear-piece and an extra camera supporting 3D facial recognition and selfies.

Some speculate that the new handset will have a glass backing that offers wireless charging.

"We are expecting a major design refresh on Apple," GlobalData analyst Avi Greengart told AFP.

"That has been a sore point, especially in China. People are looking to show off a status symbol, so it needs to look different than Huawei or Xiaomi, and I think it will."

Apple has declined to comment on speculation, which has included talk of as many as three new iPhone handsets, including a premium model priced at around $1,000.

Bye-bye button?

The most dramatic changes were expected in the premium model, which could go so far as to get rid of a 'home' button that has been a main control feature since the iPhone made its debut in 2007.

Flicking or swiping gestures could replace the home button function, enabling the handset face to appear almost all-screen.

The iPhone could also get more rounded corners.

New iPhones would, of course, be designed to showcase capabilities of the latest version of Apple's iOS software for powering mobile devices.

Apple showed iOS 11 to developers at a conference earlier this year, and is likely to release it with the new iPhone models.

The mobile operating system boasted new camera features, Siri digital assistant made smarter, and the potential for augmented reality applications.

The Sept. 12 event could also feature updated versions of Apple TV and Apple Watch.

Notes and Pixels

Global smartphone sales saw a modest decline of 0.8 percent in the second quarter of 2017, as market leaders Samsung and Apple consolidated their positions, an IDC survey showed.

The South Korean giant maintained the top spot with a 23.3 percent market share, while Apple held onto second place with 12 percent, according to IDC.

Huawei was the third-largest vendor, with an 11.3 percent market share. The Chinese electronics giant closed the gap with Apple, adding two percentage points to market share from a year earlier, according to the survey.

China-based Oppo and Xiaomi rounded out the top five.

Samsung last week unveiled a new model of its Galaxy Note as it seeks to leave behind the debacle over exploding batteries in the previous generation of the device, and mount a renewed challenge to Apple and its soon-to-come iPhone 8.

A Note 8 "phablet" introduced at an event in New York City left some analysts underwhelmed by its lack of new features beyond a dual-lens camera for telephoto zoom -- already available on the iPhone7 Plus.

The Note 8 will hit shops on September 15, its debut coming on the heels of Samsung launching new Galaxy 8 smartphones.

Meanwhile, Google-made Pixel smartphones that debuted last year will likely get a second generation in the months ahead as rivals field new champions to battle in the prime year-end holiday shopping market.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

iPhone 8 design could be throwback to iPhone 4: report

MANILA - The 10th anniversary edition of Apple’s iPhone, which will be unveiled later this year, could be reminiscent of 2010’s iPhone 4, according to a report on Tuesday.

A stainless steel band will frame phone’s giant screen and glass black, according to Japanese fan blog Macotakara, which had accurately predicted last March’s red iPhone, the demise of the clickable home button, and the “jet black” color option for last year’s iPhone 7 line.

Apple used a glass-on-glass design for the iPhone for two years, 2010’s iPhone 4 and 2011’s iPhone 4s. It has used an aluminum shell for its most profitable product since 2012.

The dual lenses on the back camera of this year's iPhone will be arranged vertically, instead of horizontally, as on last year’s iPhone 7 Plus, according to the report.

Cupertino, California-based Apple is rumored to launch this year a 10th anniversary “iPhone 8” or “iPhone Edition,” which will feature a screen that occupies almost the entire front face of the device.

Rivals Samsung and LG unveiled “all screen” phones earlier this year. Both the Samsung Galaxy S8 and the LG G6 feature glass on glass designs.


Alongside the “iPhone 8,” Apple will reportedly launch the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, indicating a largely similar design from the previous year but with upgraded internals.

The Macotakara report said the 7s and 7s Plus would be slightly thicker, meaning some cases for last year’s model might not fit.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Here’s what $1,000 ‘iPhone 8’ might look like

iPhone 8 to Feature 5.8-Inch OLED Display With 5.15-Inch Main Screen and Virtual Buttons Below https://t.co/ZCzMAXQCxj by @julipuli pic.twitter.com/rG7hsE9LbD

 — MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) February 15, 2017
 
MANILA – Apple Inc. will likely launch this year a premium iPhone, which discards the home button in favor of a 5.8-inch screen, to mark the 10th anniversary of its most profitable product, according to a report.

The display, however, will have just 5.15 inches of usable space, with the rest reserved for virtual buttons, tech website MacRumors reported, citing KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a solid reputation for predicting Apple products.

The OLED screen will occupy almost the entire front face of the device. Apple will release two other phones with home buttons and dimensions similar to the current iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, according to the report.

Priced at $1,000 (P54,000), the top-tier phone will also feature wireless charging and an iris scanner, the report said. According to earlier leaks, the fingerprint scanner could be incorporated into the screen.

The design of the current editions of the iPhone has been largely the same since 2014. Apple has also stuck with LCD displays, while its rivals use OLED screens that produce richer colors and deeper blacks.

Kuo’s report said the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones this year will have only minor improvements.

Apple last year broke its cycle of a major iPhone redesign every two years with the iPhone 7 line, which added waterproofing and dual cameras on the larger model to a three-year-old shell.

source: news.abs-cbn.com