iPhone 8 hype may not live up to the steep price

The iPhone 8, 3which is is expected to be released in September, is unlikely to be able to justify the price that it is expected to sell at say commentators. They add Apple's biggest challenge will not be convincing people to buy the phone, but making a good argument that the device was worth the high cost.

Apple will release three new iPhone models this year, according to analysts including KGI securities' Ming Chi Kuo. The first two models would be iterations on the current iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, with similar designs, but stuff like the camera and processor will get improvements.

The third model which will be the star, will feature a new screen using OLED technology that produces better colours and maximises power efficiency. It will also feature wireless charging, a "3D" camera for facial recognition and augmented reality, as also minimised bezels around the display.

The so-called iPhone 8 is expected to introduce a new "luxury" tier in the iPhone lineup thanks to its sky-high price. According to some Apple watchers, like John Gruber, the iPhone 8 could start as high as $1,200, which is $550 more than the iPhone 7's starting price.

While the new versions of the iPhone 7 (the 7s and 7s Plus) will retain the current pricing structure, the iPhone 8 will have its own structure.

The iPhone 8 was said to feature a 5.8-inch OLED display, with primary area of 5.15 inches, while the rest of the space will have virtual buttons, according to Kuo.

According to experts OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display was better than traditional LCDs, as it did not require backlighting and offered better contrast ratio, colours, and viewing angles. It also consumed less power compared to the LCD screen.