According to the latest rumors, The physical button will almost certainly be removed and replaced not by a virtual button, but by a small horizontal bar
We are just a few days away from the launch of the iPhone 8, which according to the latest rumors should be presented on September 12. While waiting to know the official date, new details about the home button, which many believe Apple will eliminate from the new top of the range in favor of other solutions.
According to Bloomberg, the physical button will be replaced by a horizontal smart bar, positioned at the bottom of the display. It would be a thin "section" gesture, activated with an upward swipe and that you can drag up to the middle of the screen. The bar will thus allow to open the multitasking menu of the new iPhone 8, a system similar to that already seen with iOS 11, the latest version of Apple's mobile operating system coming this fall, on iPads. The bar will also be visible in the apps and can be used, by dragging it upwards, to close the app or return to the home screen.
Status bar divided in two
So, no virtual button and even less no sensor integrated under the screen, as many in the course of these months had speculated. According to the latest news, published by Bloomberg, the multitasking panel will be different and characterized by "standalone cards", which the user can view by flipping through them.
Bloomberg also provides details about the Status Bar, the bar located at the top of the screen, where are shown, for example, the icons of the Wi-Fi connection, battery, clock and apps. The large display, as we've been saying for months now, on the top will be interrupted by an area where the sensors are inserted. This means that the Status Bar will be practically split in two.
What to expect from the iPhone 8
The vertical bar, however, will not be the only novelty. It is almost certain that the iPhone will be the first Apple device to mount an OLED screen, which will occupy a large part of the front panel.
The new top of the range Apple will have very thin edges and almost certainly integrate on the front body 3D sensor for facial recognition and an infrared module. Technologies that hint at the way in which Cupertino will replace the Touch ID.
New features also on the photographic compartment, which will consist of two rear sensors aligned vertically, a system that will allow the iPhone to take advantage of augmented reality.
On September 12, if the date is confirmed, Apple will present two other devices, in addition to the iPhone 8. In fact, rumors claim that Cupertino will also launch the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus. And it is very likely that there will be more surprises.