iPhone 8 leaks and rumors: New phone to address Apple fatigue

As Apple prepares the lead-up to its highly anticipated tech reveal this fall with iPhone 7 taking center stage, some tech pundits think that the upcoming iPhone 8 will be the smartphone maker's key to addressing a seemingly growing Apple fatigue as the brand's popularity wanes.

Consumers have not seen major innovative strides in recent years causing them to delay purchase as they wait for next big thing. Recently, a snap of Taiwanese pop star Jimmy Lin purportedly holding what appears to be iPhone 7 has caused widespread disappointment among fans who expect major tweaks in the upcoming flagship, Forbes reported.

The abovementioned rumor seems to coincide with observations by some industry analysts who think that this year's seventh iterative upgrade to the iPhone lineup won't represent any significant departure from the current iPhone 6S. But next year's iPhone 8 could be Apple's real game changer with some observers predicting a radical overhaul as the company marks the smartphone's 10th anniversary.

Apple has already started working on revamping its iPhone series with big changes happening internally and externally. Per Bloomberg report, the mechanical home button is set to disappear as the Cupertino-based giant plans on putting the button on the screen display itself, giving the handset a slimmer look.

Also, the company is likely to follow Samsung's lead in introducing a curved OLED display. But as Patently Apple noted, the American tech giant has long patented the curved organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display long before its South Korean rival did. But it is expected that both companies will be involved in lengthy and costly court battles as soon as Apple implements its sweeping design makeover across many of its product lineups.

Meanwhile, Apple has already confirmed Sept. 7 as the date of its highly anticipated tech reveal this year. Event invites have been sent out to guests with a message that says, "See you on the 7th."