Just when you think the iPhone rumors are circling the drain of confirmation, a new one crops up to throw a wrench in the machine.
One of the most consistent news nuggets included in just about every investors’ note and supply chain leak is that Apple is prepping three new phones for 2017: The deluxe iPhone 8 (or Edition, or X), which will have a curved OLED display and other brand new design upgrades, and the 7S and 7S Plus, which are expected to be only slightly improved versions of the current iPhone 7.
That three model release plan might now be murky after a new rumor from Chinese tech blog Micgadget, which was first spotted by MacRumors. The blog, which has a spotty track record, claims Apple will only bring two iPhone models to market this year.
That claim, which disputes nearly every report we’ve heard about Apple’s plans since last December, stems from new information Micgadget says came from “friends from Foxconn,” one of Apple’s manufacturing partners. The two phones are described as a “new iPhone 8 and big iPhone 8 Plus,” which both have new technology and a dual camera setup.
There are no other details about those two phones included in the news, which makes the sketchy report even less believable.
Earlier this week, a “dummy model” of the iPhone 8 emerged, claiming to be based on schematics leaked from a source within Foxconn. That design had a throwback vibe, with glass panes and stainless steel that evoked the original iPhone from a decade ago, along with a vertically-oriented dual camera in the back and no visible home button.
While Micgadget‘s report might be sketchy, it could hold a kernel of truth — multiple reports have mentioned potential delays for the deluxe iPhone 8’s production, with causes ranging from supply chain hangups to issues with the design, specifically with the challenge of removing the home button and integrating it into the new OLED display.
If that’s the case, it could be possible that the specs for only two of the three iPhones have been finalized, and the final design for the deluxe model has yet to be delivered. We’ll see what happens when Apple unveils the new phones later this year — whether there are two or three, we’ll still pay attention.
