Supersized smartphones is clearly the trend of 2017: massive new displays crammed inside phones with super skinny bezels. And the iPhone 8 looks set to make the biggest leap of them all…

Following multiple design leaks and cases sent to me from third parties, new information from Weibo (via Slashleaks) again illustrates exactly how Apple will radically enlarge the iPhone in 2017.

As you see below the new leaked protective panels (like leak after leak in recent weeks) perfectly matches renders, schematics and third party cases - some of which are already on sale showing the level of confidence Apple’s peripheral partners have.

And what all these cases, images and schematics show is a dramatic shift from the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 to a 5.8-inch iPhone 8. This 1.1-inch increase is larger even than Samsung’s jump from 2016’s Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge to the new ‘Infinity Displays’ on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus.

That said it is expected iPhone 8 users will lose some of this extra space to a new ‘Function Area’, a bottom notification and shortcut area in iOS 11 which will replace the home button and space lost to the ‘cut-out’ on the top bezel which houses the front facing camera and sensors. Regardless it is a dramatic size increase.

Needless to say, sceptics will (perhaps correctly) point out it is only when Tim Cook holds the iPhone 8 aloft at its official unveiling that we can know these changes are 100% real. But I think we’re fast approaching a level of consistency and certainty (especially combined with the historical accuracy of leaks in recent years) where we can say this is what the new iPhone will look like.

And yes, Samsung’s even larger Galaxy Note 8 and Google’s massive Pixel 2 ‘Taimen’ are going to make similar changes and launch around the same time. So it’s going to be one heck of a smartphone shootout...

Original Article: Here