This is what will bring wireless charging to iPhone 8. Photo: Weibo
A new iPhone 8 leak all but confirms one of the handset’s biggest new features.
A component we haven’t seen in an iPhone before — almost certainly a wireless charging module — surfaced recently on a Chinese social network. It appears to be equipped with a Lightning connector and is clearly labeled “iPhone.”
Apple is yet to deliver its first smartphone with wireless charging, but Dell is already bringing the feature to notebooks. Its new Latitude 7285 is the world’s first 2-in-1 laptop that can be topped up without a cable.
Will a future iPhone replace your Apple Watch? Photo: ConceptsiPhone
The iPhone’s success has been nothing short of spectacular. With more than 1 billion units sold as of June 2016, rival consumer electronics companies can only dream of building a product that popular.
It’s not easy to foresee how the iPhone will evolve in the future. Some things are obvious — like faster processors, more advanced cameras, and even better displays — but we must look beyond these to get a sense of Apple’s biggest ambitions. Here’s some of the many ways the iPhone might get better, stronger and faster in the next 10 years.
iOS 11 has a lot of secret features. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
A new sound file hidden inside iOS 11 may hint at a major new feature coming to the iPhone 8 later this year.
Early rumors claim Apple’s next smartphone will pack inductive charging capabilities when it debuts in the fall. Now it looks like iOS 11 may have confirmed the feature with a new sound file called “engage_power.caf” that’s not being used at all.
Is this our best look yet at the iPhone 8? Photo: Benjamin Geskin
An iPhone 8 “dummy unit” made from leaked parts give us an early glimpse at what Apple’s next big upgrade might look like.
Its form is similar to that of recent handsets like the iPhone 7, but with a larger edge-to-edge display that will help it compete with rivals like the Galaxy S8.
Photos of alleged glass panels for the iPhone 8, 7s and 7s Plus. Photo: Reddit
The internet might have just gotten its first real look at the iPhone 8, in the form of “leaked” component photos that offer hints at the possible new design of the highly anticipated device.
Pictures that allegedly show the iPhone 8’s front and rear glass panels got posted online today by a person who claims the parts come from a source in China. While we can’t verify the authenticity of the images, they look legit — and they line up with rumors regarding big changes coming to the iPhone 8.
Take a closer look at the iPhone 8 front and rear panels:
Warren Buffet is Apple's biggest investor. Photo: CNBC
Apple’s big pause in iPhone sales leading up to this year’s new models isn’t worrying one of the company’s biggest investors.
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett says he loves what Apple is doing with its buyback program for investors and even though sales are slow, the stock is still a great buy.
We hope the next iPhone is this beautiful. Photo: AlHasan Husni
Another alleged iPhone 8 schematic has leaked out of China, providing new details about Apple’s upcoming handset — including the tech behind its wireless charging capability.
The supposed iPhone 8 drawing surfaced on Weibo today. Unlike the last two schematics that leaked, this one includes detailed labeling of each part, revealing a dual-lens camera in the front and wireless charging in the back.
The big circle in the back might be for wireless charging. Photo: KKSneakLeaks
The Apple rumor mill has churned out yet another alleged schematic for the upcoming iPhone 8, only this time the drawing doesn’t depict a Touch ID sensor in the back.
In the iPhone 8 drawing that surfaced today, Apple appears to have made some big changes — including adding a big area in the back for wireless charging. According to one leaker, the feature would require iPhone 8 owners to keep the device on a charging pad to get juice.
2017 will be the year iPhone gets wireless charging. Photo: Ivo Marić and Tomislav Rastovac
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a response from Powermat Technlogies.
One of the most heavily rumored features of the next iPhone was seemingly confirmed by a wireless charging accessory maker before being quickly disavowed. In a press release sent out today for something not even related to Apple, Powermat Technologies CEO Elad Dubzinski claimed wireless charging would become a “standard feature” in the 2017 iPhone lineup.
When contacted by Cult of Mac, Powermat said, basically, that the company doesn’t know what it’s talking about. “It’s all speculation at this point,” a Powermat rep said. “We have no inside information. Sorry to mislead.”
Apple may make the surprising move of relocating the Touch ID button to the back of the iPhone this year, but based on renderings of a leaked schematic, it wouldn’t look that bad.
Several renders, based on the supposed iPhone 8 schematic that hit the internet this week, show what the device’s rear shell might look like during production. It’s not a photo of the real iPhone shell, but for now this is as close to the real deal as we’re going to get.
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen. Photo: Martin Hajek
Thanks to a bevy of leaks that flooded the internet this week, we know more about the iPhone 8 than ever before. Even if only half the rumors turn out to be true, this year’s iPhone is set to be the most innovative device Apple has made in years.
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen. Photo: Martin Hajek
Charging your iPhone is about to get a lot faster in 2017, according to a new report that also claims Apple plans to add 3GB of RAM to all three of its new iPhone models this year.
In a research note sent to investors, Wall Street firm Cowen and Company contradicts previous rumors that claimed only Apple’s high-end iPhone 8 would get the RAM boost. If true, the new memory chips should make the iPhone speedier than ever.
This is what the iPhone might look like without a home button. Photo: MacCityNet
Apple is expected to ditch the Home button with the iPhone 8, but that could create some new problems, like, “How will you get back to the Home screen?”
Switching between apps wouldn’t be the same without a Home button to click. An interesting new iPhone 8 concept out of Italy explores how changes within iOS could provide a seamless experience if Apple removes the only navigation button on the iPhone.
"Leaked" iPhone 7 with Smart Connector (left) and iPhone 6s. Photo: Bastille Post
Apple hasn’t done much with the Smart Connector since it debuted on the iPad Pro in 2015, but according to a new rumor, the data and charging port could finally be headed to the iPhone.
Apple is already driving an OLED boom. Photo: iDropNews
The next iPhone Apple unveils may not prove as expensive as some have speculated, according to a new research note from investment firm UBS.
Early rumors for the iPhone 8 claimed it will cost upward of $1,000. However, UBS analyst Steve Milunovich says the real price tag will most likely be a lot less than that. And fans might have Samsung to thank.
New Apple hardware in March? Reports say yes, indeed. Image: Erfon Elijah/Cult of Mac
This week on The CultCast: It’s been five years of CultCasts! We’ll regale you with some of our favorite stories from past shows. Plus: Our hardware expectations from Apple’s rumored March event; why iPhone 8’s wireless charging will probably be lame; Apple has five teams working on next-generation charging tech; why iPhone 8’s camera could pump out industrial-grade slow motion; and Steve Jobs gets a beautiful new home on Apple’s new spaceship campus.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code “CultCast” at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.
A battery boost could be a big draw for iPhone 8. Photo: iDropNews
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty is predicting big things for iPhone 8 sales once Apple finally unveils the device this fall.
In her latest research note to clients, the Wall Street analyst predicts that the edge-to-edge OLED display and longer battery life on the iPhone 8 will accelerate upgrades from customers with iPhones that are two years old or older.
iPhone wireless charging is likely to arrive this year. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple may be likely to adopt the popular Qi standard when it brings wireless charging to this year’s iPhone, but it seems that Apple isn’t abandoning reports that it could use a proprietary alternative solution.
According to a new report, the company currently has not one or two, but five different groups inside Apple currently working to develop wireless charging technology for future iPhones.
Apple plans to increase the amount of storage offered on its premium iPhone model in 2017, according to the latest rumor out of Asia.
Last year Apple finally killed off its measly 16GB baseline storage option with the iPhone 7. Now the company may be ready to give customers even more storage space with 64GB and 256GB.
iPhone 8 will have wireless charging, but it won't be special. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
If you were hoping Apple had developed a spectacular new wireless charging system for iPhone 8, you’re going to be disappointed come September.
The latest rumor claims that Apple won’t be using range charging technology developed by Energous as previously expected, but instead one of the existing solutions already found in rival smartphones like those made by Samsung.
According to new reports, iPhone 8 is getting the big changes you've been waiting for. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
This week on The CultCast: According to new reports, the iPhone 8 will get a huge makeover with an edge-to-edge screen, wireless charging, a huge battery and more. We’ll tell you everything we know. Plus: A 4K Apple TV is on the way; our favorite TV shows from days of yore; and the search for the perfect corn dog.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.
ZENS is compatible with any Qi charging pad. Photo: ZENS
Why wait for Apple to bring wireless charging to the iPhone when you can add it yourself?
ZENS is an iPhone 7 case that adds Qi charging capabilities, allowing it to be used with almost any wireless charging pad. It’s also slim and protective, and it comes bundled with a wireless charger for under $60.