iPhone 8/Plus Will the 8 be the last iPhone with a home button?

[UKapple]

Been with android now since I moved over from a iPhone in 2014. Currently on a note 8 but I'm constantly finding myself looking at the 8+ and wanting to go back for a change.

However, one thing that is making me want to go sooner rather than later is the fact that the 8+ still has a physical home button. I'm not at all wanting to go the gesture based route with the X and my note 8 still has one build in under the screen.

My fear is if I don't get the 8+ now then next year the button may disappear altogether. Thoughts?

 

[california_kid]

Pure speculation - I think it will be the last unless a low end phone comes out next year similar to what they did with the SE. By low end, I mean the same internals as the 8/8+, but a lower cost package. On the bright side, if you just wait until official product launch, you will have a lot of refurbished/used 8+ available at a good price.

 

[Packers1958]

yes.

 

[yanki01]

time will tell but i don't think so.

 

[myscrnnm]

I hope so. There’s really no reason for it anymore. Every time I pick up another iPhone my muscle memory kicks in and wants to swipe up.

 

[44267547]

Been with android now since I moved over from a iPhone in 2014. Currently on a note 8 but I'm constantly finding myself looking at the 8+ and wanting to go back for a change.

However, one thing that is making me want to go sooner rather than later is the fact that the 8+ still has a physical home button. I'm not at all wanting to go the gesture based route with the X and my note 8 still has one build in under the screen.

My fear is if I don't get the 8+ now then next year the button may disappear altogether. Thoughts?

I'm Willing to believe that the iPhone 8 will remain in Apples lineup next year, alongside still offering this newly rumored 6.1 LCD, a 5.8/6.5 OLED, all With Face ID.

 

[Seth Matthews]

Probably.

 

[Djentleman]

I certainly think so. Apple's known to be hard headed. No way they'd go back on a design choice.

 

[boshii]

Yes. There's 0% chance they go back in future phones. No I don't work for Apple but common sense tells us so.

 

[maflynn]

I think we'll see a SE model release next fall and that will have the home button, and who knows, maybe Apple will roll out an iPhone 9, or 8s as a lower cost alternative to the possible XI next year

 

[KingslayerG5]

Yes.

Technically, the last to offer a real physical home button and headphone jack is the SE. The 7 and 8 have that fake one.

 

[tromboneaholic]

I think we'll see a SE model release next fall and that will have the home button, and who knows, maybe Apple will roll out an iPhone 9, or 8s as a lower cost alternative to the possible XI next year

SE: maybe or lower cost 8
Iphone 9: no

 

[thesaint024]

If the cost differential between FaceID and TouchID remains, I suppose it would make sense to keep putting out low end phones with TouchID. (I make no claim that FaceID is superior, just more expensive at this time.) However, I doubt that the gap will stay wide for long. Apple will get better at making it cheaper so I would guess TouchID will be phased out eventually. I'm hoping that they will eventually have both, but that's wishful thinking with all indicators saying it is.

 

[BugeyeSTI]

SE, 7 & 8 will be around for awhile. A completely new phone with a home button, unlikely unless a new SE comes out

 

[Newtons Apple]

Was not too long ago that Apple was proclaiming that Finger ID was the Holy Grail of security!

 

[thesaint024]

Was not too long ago that Apple was proclaiming that Finger ID was the Holy Grail of security!

It actually was not too long ago relative to it's time. Other fingerprint scanners at the time were complete *****. Apple finally did it right. But none of this is really the holy grail. That would be me just thinking I want to unlock my phone and it happens. FaceID is close since it's utilizing what you're already doing anyway, looking at the phone. It's definitely closer to seamless than TouchID. I stand by my feeling that I would like to have options with security, so I wish they had both in the phone.

 

[tromboneaholic]

Was not too long ago that Apple was proclaiming that Finger ID was the Holy Grail of security!

They went on about Motorola processors too!

 

[Dave245]

Yes I think the home button will be gone soon. The iPhone X is so great to use that you don’t even miss the home button (at least I haven’t) the gestures feel natural, Face ID is so fast that I was surprised when I first set it up and the OLED screen is just WOW especially when watching HDR content such as DeadPool and Wonder Woman.

 

[PastaPrimav]

It really comes down to cost and what Apple can do with the current lineup. It seems likely that they will add a larger, more premium OLED model to the lineup next year, and maintain LCD products in the lower tiers for at least 1 more cycle.

For Apple to do new models at $699 and $799 only a year from now, they will have to use LCD. If they are LCD, I don't see a lot of reason to believe they will ditch the Home Button. The removal of Home Button, the addition of Face ID, and Edge-to-Edge design all go hand in hand with one another...and are core tenants of the OLED models. Apple has to do all of these in order to do one of them, and I don't see it happening at the lower price points (yet) or with LCD in the mix.

I think there is a very good chance that Apple makes an iPhone 8s and 8s Plus at $699 and $799 next year, keeping the same design as the iPhone 8 and adding updated internals.

$1099 iPhone XI Plus
$999 iPhone XI
$899 iPhone X
$799 iPhone 8s Plus
$699 iPhone 8s
$699 iPhone 8 Plus
$599 iPhone 8
$599 iPhone 7 Plus
$499 iPhone 7
$399 iPhone SE

 

[dstew201]

hopefully!!! Button has been useless for years!

 

[i hate phones]

I hope so. There’s really no reason for it anymore. Every time I pick up another iPhone my muscle memory kicks in and wants to swipe up.

This. I was worried about the adjustment, but it's already second nature. Whenever I use my iPad or someone else's phone I always activate control center.

 

[Newtons Apple]

It really comes down to cost and what Apple can do with the current lineup. It seems likely that they will add a larger, more premium OLED model to the lineup next year, and maintain LCD products in the lower tiers for at least 1 more cycle.

For Apple to do new models at $699 and $799 only a year from now, they will have to use LCD. If they are LCD, I don't see a lot of reason to believe they will ditch the Home Button. The removal of Home Button, the addition of Face ID, and Edge-to-Edge design all go hand in hand with one another...and are core tenants of the OLED models. Apple has to do all of these in order to do one of them, and I don't see it happening at the lower price points (yet) or with LCD in the mix.

I think there is a very good chance that Apple makes an iPhone 8s and 8s Plus at $699 and $799 next year, keeping the same design as the iPhone 8 and adding updated internals.

$1099 iPhone XI Plus
$999 iPhone XI
$899 iPhone X
$799 iPhone 8s Plus
$699 iPhone 8s
$699 iPhone 8 Plus
$599 iPhone 8
$599 iPhone 6s Plus
$499 iPhone 6s
$399 iPhone SE

I think the 6 and 6S will be toast at the end of this year.

 

[PastaPrimav]

I think the 6 and 6S will be toast at the end of this year.

Yes, that is a fair assumption, the iPhone 7 will likely slide into its pricepoints.

 

[KONVICTED]

iPhone 8 series possibly could be last of it's kind. Apple already mentioned iPhone X design is the future. They will more focus on improving it over time.

 

[eyeseeyou]

One reason Apple might continue to produce iPhones with home buttons is because technically the iPhone X is a special edition model separate from the standard line up hence the jump from 8-10 and skipping 9.

Really doesn’t make sense lol