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The iPhone 8 design everyone hates still haunts us

Published May 22nd, 2017 9:16AM EDT
iPhone 8 vs. iPhone 7s Design Photos
Image: Martin Hajek

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There are two type of iPhone 8 designs out there at this particular point in time, including one that we love and one that we hate. There’s really just one difference between them, and that’s the placement of the fingerprint sensor. But this is a crucial detail which can turn the iPhone 8 into a device that’ll have no rival for a while, or a just another smartphone.

Now, a new leak seems to indicate that the design we love will prevail, but the design we hate still haunts us.

By eliminating the top and bottom bezels on the upcoming iPhone 8, Apple is forced to also kill the home button. However, Apple can’t ditch the home button’s features, and most of them will be relegated to the display via 3D Touch.

Image source: Twitter

For the Touch ID sensor, Apple has two options. The most innovative one involves placing it inside the layers of the screen, something that’s not available on other mass market smartphones. However, that’s a tricky task and various reports have said Apple may simply place the fingerprint sensor on the back of the handset. That’s the Touch ID design everyone hates, since it’s a huge step backwards in terms of usability.

Image source: Twitter

After images showing the purported metal molds of the iPhone 8, iPhone 7s, and iPhone 7s Plus emerged online during the weekend, a new set of pictures surfaced from what appears to be the same source.

From the looks of it, there’s no cutout for a fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 8. The images also indicate that the iPhone 8 will be slightly taller and wider than the iPhone 7s, and that the phone will feature a longer power button than the iPhone 7s models.

Image source: Twitter

But don’t be too excited just yet. A photo was posted to SlashLeaks from China over the weekend showing what appears to be an iPhone 8 document from Foxconn. In it, we see a cutout on the back of the handset that would accommodate a rear-facing Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

Image source: SlashLeaks

Let’s just hope this is a fake or an older document that’s no longer relevant. After all, early reports did indicate that Apple was working on multiple iPhone 8 prototypes, including models that would have the fingerprint sensor on the back.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.