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Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8 looks likely to launch Sept. 12
As Apple Inc. celebrates the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, the company is set to unveil its biggest redesign with the launch of the premium iPhone 8.
Reports making the rounds for months have suggested the flagship device, which is currently being referred to as the iPhone 8, will offer wireless charging. It’s a first for Apple, which is lagging behind its Android competitors on this feature. The latest iPhone 8 reports provide additional details about the device’s wireless charging feature, for the device, which will have a premium Organic Light Emitting Diode or OLED screen.
Here’s a look at the latest speculation on the phone, which is reported to have a possible launch on Sept. 12, a date confirmed in a Wall Street Journal story Monday:
Wireless charging to use slower Qi standard
One of the consistent reports making the rounds about the upcoming iPhone 8 since October is that the flagship will get wireless charging. Those reports were further confirmed in February when the company joined the Wireless Power Consortium.
The latest report this weekend comes from Japanese site Macotakara, which confirms the wireless charging rumors, but also states that Apple has opted to use the slower standard charging profile. Instead of the 15 watts of the latest Qi 1.2 standards, Apple’s wireless charging will run at just 7.5 watts.
The unnamed sources also note that the company may require MFi licenses, Apple’s “Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad” licensing program, for third-party charging pads. This would mean existing Qi charging accessories would not be supported.
While rumors suggest that all three 2017 devices will receive wireless charging, reports suggest that the new feature won’t be enabled at a software level when the new phones ship, but would rather be enabled in a future iOS 11 software update.
Launch date – Sept. 12
While Apple is yet to officially confirm the launch date, many sources are now pointing at Tuesday, Sept. 12 as the expected date. French site Mac4Ever, with corroborating information from French telecom networks, reported last week that the Apple launch will take place on the 12th.
That fits with Apple’s traditional launch window for its latest flagship device. If the launch does take place on Sept. 12, pre-orders will likely start on the 15th with the device going on sale on Friday, Sept. 22.
September is set to be a busy month for flagship devices. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.’s Note8, which the company launched last week, is currently available for pre-order and will go on sale on Sept. 15. LG Corp.’s V30 is set to be unveiled on Aug. 31 is rumored to be available for pre-order in the U.S. on Sept. 17 and will ship on Sept. 28.
Previous reports have suggested that the OLED iPhone 8 could launch in limited quantities, which could extend to early next year and would mean Apple could miss out on the holiday season.
Apple’s event will see the unveiling of the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, in addition to the new Apple Watch.
Image: Apple
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