'iPhone Edition' Said to Have Polished Stainless Steel Frame Similar to Apple Watch, Vertical Camera for VR

Apple's widely rumored iPhone with an OLED display will feature a polished stainless steel enclosure sandwiched between front and back glass, says Japanese blog Mac Otakara. That's the same iPhone 4-like design that reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has expected since last year.

large 58f4fbaaed488

"iPhone Edition" render by Japanese blog Mac Otakara

The blog claims the so-called "iPhone Edition" will use an improved version of the Apple Watch's stainless steel enclosure. It also says the smartphone, more commonly dubbed "iPhone 8" for now, will have a conventionally flat OLED display with 2.5D cover glass along the edges, as rumored previously.

As seen in a few renders over the past few weeks, the report claims the "iPhone Edition" will be equipped with a vertically-aligned iSight Duo camera on the rear for VR shooting purposes. Accordingly, when the iPhone is used in a VR headset, the cameras would be positioned horizontally as is customary.

Meanwhile, the tentatively named iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are expected to be slightly thicker than the current iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, meaning that some existing cases and accessories might not fit the newer models. From a cosmetic standpoint, however, those smartphones are expected to look similar.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iphone 17 models

No iPhone 18 Launch This Year, Reports Suggest

Thursday January 1, 2026 8:43 am PST by
Apple is not expected to release a standard iPhone 18 model this year, according to a growing number of reports that suggest the company is planning a significant change to its long-standing annual iPhone launch cycle. Despite the immense success of the iPhone 17 in 2025, the iPhone 18 is not expected to arrive until the spring of 2027, leaving the iPhone 17 in the lineup as the latest...
duolingo ad live activity

Duolingo Used iPhone's Dynamic Island to Display Ads, Violating Apple Design Guidelines

Friday January 2, 2026 1:36 pm PST by
Language learning app Duolingo has apparently been using the iPhone's Live Activity feature to display ads on the Lock Screen and the Dynamic Island, which violates Apple's design guidelines. According to multiple reports on Reddit, the Duolingo app has been displaying an ad for a "Super offer," which is Duolingo's paid subscription option. Apple's guidelines for Live Activity state that...
Low Cost A18 Pro MacBook Feature Pink

Apple's 2026 Low-Cost A18 Pro MacBook: What We Know So Far

Friday January 2, 2026 4:33 pm PST by
Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook in 2026, which will apparently compete with more affordable Chromebooks and Windows PCs. Apple's most affordable Mac right now is the $999 MacBook Air, and the upcoming low-cost MacBook is expected to be cheaper. Here's what we know about the low-cost MacBook so far. Size Rumors suggest the low-cost MacBook will have a display that's around 13 ...
govee floor lamp

CES 2026: Govee Announces New Matter-Connected Ceiling and Floor Lights

Sunday January 4, 2026 5:00 am PST by
Govee today introduced three new HomeKit-compatible lighting products, including the Govee Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light. The Govee Floor Lamp 3 is the successor to the Floor Lamp 2, and it offers Matter integration with the option to connect to HomeKit. The Floor Lamp 3 offers an upgraded LuminBlend+ lighting system that can reproduce 281...
airpods pro 3 glitter

AirPods New Year's Deals Include Up to $99 Off AirPods Max, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Sunday January 4, 2026 8:04 am PST by
Now that the calendar has flipped over into January, steep discounts on popular Apple products have become more rare after the holidays. However, if you didn't get a new pair of AirPods recently and are looking for a model on sale, Amazon does have a few solid second-best prices this week. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a...
Belkin 25W Battery magnetic

CES 2026: Belkin Announces Magnetic Ring Power Bank, Modular Dock, and More

Sunday January 4, 2026 3:02 pm PST by
Belkin today announced a range of new charging and connectivity accessories at CES 2026, expanding its portfolio of products aimed at Apple device users. UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring The lineup includes new Qi2 and Qi2.2 wireless chargers, magnetic power banks, a high-capacity laptop battery, and USB-C productivity accessories, with an emphasis on higher charging...
samsung crease less foldable display ces 2026%402x

Foldable iPhone's Crease-Free Display Tech Spotted at CES 2026

Tuesday January 6, 2026 3:04 am PST by
CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison. The ...
AirPods Pro 3 Year of the Horse Feature

Apple Launches Year of the Horse AirPods Pro 3 for Lunar New Year

Monday January 5, 2026 11:28 am PST by
Apple has designed a limited edition version of the AirPods Pro 3 to celebrate Lunar New Year, and customers in select countries can purchase them starting today. The Year of the Horse Special Edition AirPods Pro 3 feature a unique horse emoji character that's otherwise unavailable. Customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Singapore are able to buy the AirPods, and they'll be...

Top Rated Comments

WRChris Avatar
114 months ago
You don't need cameras for vr....AR for sure
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
barkomatic Avatar
114 months ago
This render is far too attractive to be an Apple design. It needs more antenna lines and really thick bezels to make the cut.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
filmantopia Avatar
114 months ago
This thing is going to be gorgeous.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WRChris Avatar
114 months ago
I was thinking if apple does indeed make the OLED a "Pro" or more expensive model whatever you want to call it, I wonder if they will include AirPods and a dock. Like apple includes the dock for the ceramic watch?
It will include EarPods and a USB cable with power adapter. Most expensive iPhone 7 does not come with extras and there's no reason this will be different. AirPods are what, 160? Dock is what, 50? No way you are getting over 200$ worth of goods for free.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Seifensieder Avatar
114 months ago
No protruding camera please.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Appleaker Avatar
114 months ago
It could end up looking like a stretched out Apple Watch, considering the design, rumored consistent 4mm bezel, and the stainless steel frame.

We've already seen Apple Watch influences with Force/3D Touch, the Taptic Engine and waterproofing.

An OLED display, wireless charging, and no ports are yet to come but we know they'll probably happen.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)