iPhone 8 Processor Rumor Is a Bummer
Apple's iPhone 8 might deliver a new design and unique features, but it won't offer a higher-end processor than the iPhone 7s series, according to a new report.
iPhone 8 concept. Credit: Oscar Luna Martinez
Citing China's Economic Daily News, Digitimes reports that longtime Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) is planning to start production on the A11 processor next month. The company hopes to produce 50 million A11 chips by July, according to the report.
But perhaps the biggest revelation is that the A11 chip will be offered across the entire iPhone line and come bundled in the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, and the iPhone 8.
Apple is reportedly planning a major iPhone update this year that could be known as the iPhone 8, iPhone X, or iPhone Edition. It's believed the device will come with an all-glass design and feature a curved screen. It could also have a display that entirely covers its face, leaving no room for a home button. Some reports have suggested the iPhone 8 could offer a virtual home button and allow for fingerprint sensing through its screen.
MORE: iPhone 8 Rumors: What to Expect from the 10th Anniversary iPhone
But those features apparently won't require a new processor. Speculation has been running rampant over exactly what kind of power and component needs the iPhone 8 might have if it offers something above and beyond the iPhone 7s. It appears now, though, that the iPhone 8 might not offer more power than the iPhone 7s and that Apple's A11 chip will be able to power the new features.
It's worth noting that the Economic Daily News says the TSMC chip will measure 10nm, making it quite small and giving Apple a bit more room to either bundle new features or reduce the size of its device. In years past, Apple has made the handset thinner and smaller whenever it could offer smaller components.
Regardless of what Apple has planned, the report suggests Apple has high hopes for this year's iPhones. By the end of the year, Apple is expecting TSMC to produce 100 million A11 processors.
Apple, of course, has remained silent on its plans. But the company is expected to announce its new devices — and the new A11 processor — in September.
See also : The Most Amazing iPhone 8 Concepts
