iPhone 8 May Invert Status Bar, Use Lock Button as Camera Shutter

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The HomePod firmware has unveiled some pretty big revelations about this year’s upcoming iPhone 8 flagship. And developers are still finding interesting discoveries within the code.

Brazil-based, Portuguese-language site iHelpBR has unearthed a few more tidbits that seem to point at previously unknown features or changes for this year’s flagship, premium iPhone. Here are some of the more interesting or unusual findings.

Inverted Status Bar

Within a line of code apparently related to camera capture abilities, there’s a reference to the device’s top bar being “inverted” on the modern iPhone — modern being how Apple refers to new devices in its coding. The word inverted is, of course, a bit vague, and there’s a few ways to go about interpreting exactly what it means.

For one, iHelpBR theorizes that the top-oriented status bar may be inverted as far as its positioning. Basically, in certain apps like Camera, it’ll appear at the bottom of the display rather than at the top. Of course, the inverted could be referring to the color of the status bar or its icons and text — appearing as the opposite shade dependent on the background.

It is worth mentioning that, in iOS 10 and in current iOS 11 betas, there is no status bar in the Camera app. Additionally, the line of code doesn’t actually refer to the top bar as a “status bar,” so it could be something else entirely. With those things in mind, what the line of code is actually referring to is fairly unclear.

Lock Button as Shutter

Another piece of camera capture-related code seems to point toward the iPhone’s Lock button being used as a shutter. On current-model iPhones, the analog volume switchers double as shutter buttons. The use of the Lock button in their place may make more sense when we take a few things into account.

For one, the iPhone 8 is largely expected to have a vertically oriented camera module. When shooting in landscape with a vertically oriented camera, the Lock button — normally on the right side of the phone — would be “on top,” whereas the volume switches would be on the bottom. As with most cameras, a top-oriented shutter seems like a more natural fit.

Other Discoveries

In addition, iHelpBR found several more explicit references to inductive charging capabilities — a feature that’s more of a confirmed fact than a rumor at this point. There’s even a new unused sound that might be associated with the new charging functionality. There are also lines of code that refer to a “modern” status bar and Lock screen, which suggests that the iPhone 8, specifically, might use redesigned UI elements optimized for its large, bezel-free display. A refreshed and redesigned status bar could also play into the “inverted top bar“ finding.

Of course, there’s no guarantee that these features or changes will actually appear in Apple’s devices at launch — they could be cut. As far as what will make it in, we’ll have to wait for Apple’s fall event next month.

[The information provided in this article has NOT been confirmed by Apple and may be speculation. Provided details may not be factual. Take all rumors, tech or otherwise, with a grain of salt.]

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