March 28, 2016 - 12:12 AMT
iPhone 8 “to sport a futuristic curved screen”

We haven't even got our hands on an iPhone 7 yet, but that hasn't stopped information coming out about the iPhone 8, Digital Spy said.

According to a note to investors obtained by AppleInsider, Apple has plans to introduce a new high-end iPhone model in 2017 with a curved glass case and a 5.8-inch AMOLED display.

In the note, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo states that the new iPhone's design would be similar to that of the iPhone 4/4S "glass sandwich", just with curved panels on the front and back of the device.

Kuo expects Apple to choose glass as it is easy to mould and enables thin-and-light form factor designs, with the other material options including plastic and ceramic.

The next-gen iPhone is expected to include wireless charging and new biometric recognition technology such as face and iris scanning. Apple recently acquired facial recognition specialist Emotient and real-time 3D rendering firm Faceshift.

Kuo believes that the 5.8-inch model will replace the current 5.5-inch TFT-LCD model, but if Apple is unable to gain the necessary AMOLED supply, it could be a top-end add-on to its 2017 iPhone line.

If the iPhone 8 launches next year, it will mean Apple has fresh product on offer during the usual refresh window of S models, and ensure that the company is in line with competitors who offer similar materials in their flagship models, Digital Spy said.

Last week saw Apple launch a stunning new 4-inch iPhone. The iPhone SE throws in a mass of hardware updates and a few iPhone 6S-inspired tricks to bring the ageing device up to scratch.

Photo: Digital Spy