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iPhone 8 to Ditch Home Button for 'Function Area', Cost Over $1,000: KGI Analyst Ming Chi Kuo

iPhone 8 to Ditch Home Button for 'Function Area', Cost Over $1,000: KGI Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo

By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 16 February 2017 11:51 IST

Highlights

iPhone 8 again tipped to be priced north of $1,000
Kuo claims that the dedicated home button will be removed
It will be replaced by a function area

KGI analyst Ming Chi Kuo in a new note to his clients has predicted a few more things about the iPhone 8. In his note, Kuo reiterates that the iPhone 8 will ditch the home button for a full-screen design. This additional real estate will used to have a function area towards the bottom of the display that will bring virtual 'always-on' buttons to the iPhone.

AppleInsider got hold of this note, in which Kuo explains in detail that the extra real estate at the bottom of the iPhone 8 will be used for system functions with dedicated buttons for each function. There's not much clarity on what the 'function area' will bring, but Kuo suggests that Apple could introduce an always-on display with static system controls. The note suggest that this iPhone 8 static display could also have the capability to switch to active display when watching videos or playing game. However, this is all just speculation at this point.

Apple iPhone 8 Specifications, Release Date, and More - Leaks and Rumours So Far

Furthermore, Kuo states that the iPhone 8 will sport a 5.8-inch OLED screen, but will sport the form factor of the 4.7-inch iPhone 7. This is possible because the top and bottom bezels will now be gone, giving more real estate space to the iPhone 8.

Kuo also reiterates that iPhone 8 will ditch the dedicated Touch ID sensor, and Kuo believes that the iPhone 8 'will incorporate new bio-recognition assets to take over device security and Apple Pay authentication duties.' This is in line with previous reports that claim Apple will introduce a new 3D sensing technology, which will be embedded in the display and be capable of reading fingerprints directly. A patent was also published about the same recently, further cementing the rumours that the iPhone 8 will introduce this feature. Even though a dedicated Touch ID sensor will disappear, the new and improved tech will retain the Touch ID branding.

Reiterating previous claims, says that the OLED variants of the iPhone 8 will be priced north of $1,000 because of 50 to 60 percent rise in production cost. The LCD variants will be priced cheaper.

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