Apple’s 10th-anniversary device is expected to be called the iPhone X and priced more than $1,000, which is more than the price of the iPhone 7 Plus 256GB model, currently the most expensive iPhone in the market. Even the upcoming phone’s biggest rival, the Samsung Galaxy S8, is expected to be priced lower at $899.
The rumored pricing emerged last Wednesday and seems to confirm suspicions that Apple is indeed working on an ultra-premium device to commemorate 10 years of the iPhone. The rumor seems in line with Apple’s identity as a company and its approach to the iPhone, which has been to never create a me-too device. Rather, it has always given its devices premium pricing and an OS which still remains very different from the mass-market Android.
In the past 10 years, Apple’s has retained a big chunk of the U.S. smartphone market and despite coming out with just one phone per year, has given competition to the likes of Samsung and LG, which produce numerous devices every year. But still, would Apple be able to woo consumers to invest $1,000 in its newest device?
Here are five rumored features of the device which, if present, may go some way in justifying its exorbitant price tag.
Edge-to-Edge OLED display
The entire front of the device is expected to be covered by the display, making the device look something like a ‘black monolith’ according to Fastcompany. There might be no visual interruptions to the design — no bezels — as Apple is expected to ditch its signature home button and even the speaker is expected to be built into the display. The display alone makes the device premium and highly differentiated from previous iPhones and other phones in the market.
Touch Sensitive buttons
Design language seems the priority for Apple since the device is expected to come with no physical buttons at all — the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is expected to be embedded into the display, while the volume rocker, the power button and Apple’s proprietary mute switch are expected to be built inside the body and work using the iPhone 7’s 3D touch pressure-sensing technology.
Sapphire crystal screen
A sapphire crystal iPhone screen rumor has been around since iPhone 6. The biggest advantage of sapphire is that it is scratch resistant, which is an important feature for touch screen devices that get scratched and damaged due to regular wear and tear. The company is expected to endow the iPhone X with this long-awaited feature.
10nm Processor
Apple is expected to employ 10nm processor technology in designing the iPhone X’s A11 processor. Compared to the 14nm based A10 processor, the next-generation processor is expected provide better performance and a longer lasting battery, something most iPhone users desire.
Wireless charging
Apple is expected to finally get in-step with the competition and endow the iPhone X with wireless charging — a feature Samsung started offering two years ago with its S6 device.
To accommodate the feature, the company is expected to go for a forged steel frame in iPhone X instead of its traditional aluminum frame. According to Macotakara, the wireless chargers for the device are expected to be made by the Chinese company Luxshare, which also worked on inductive charging in the Apple Watch.
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