These renders conceptualize all-glass iPhone 8 with stainless steel frame

Last year, KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo speculated that nearly a dozen iPhone prototypes Apple’s been testing in its labs probably include an iPhone 8 prototype with iPhone 4/4s-like design using chemically hardened curved glass on both its front and back.

To give you a visual idea of what an all-glass iPhone might look and possibly feel like, we’re showcasing conceptual renderings created by artist Steel Drake. His work is a great attempt at visualizing a future OLED-based iPhone with the glass sandwich design held together by the stainless steel edges.

An all-glass iPhone 8 makes sense given that glass casings support wireless charging better than metal ones.

KGI expects secondary iPhone manufacturer Pegatron to be the exclusive supplier of wireless charger parts for the device. Because glass conducts heat quickly, iPhone 8 could use a thin graphite sheet to help dissipate heat when used with an optional wireless charging accessory.

An all-glass iPhone 8 could also be more durable than you might think. Not only is glass more prone to scratches and dings than anodized aluminum finishes (case in point: even Apple states that Jet Black iPhones “may show fine micro-abrasions with use”), but any eventual scratches that might occur from daily use are sure to be less visible on glass.

Glass has other properties that make it more desirable a material than aluminum, including being much easier to mold than metal, as well as thinner and lighter than aluminum. Like with the iPhone 4/4s series, iPhone 8 would need a stainless steel frame to hold the glass sandwich design together.

Apple is likely to use chemically strengthened glass rather than Gorilla Glass so an all-glass iPhone 8 could be more shatter-prone when dropped versus current iPhones. KGI speculates that Apple’s manufacturing expertise gained from designing iPhone 4/4s could result in an all-glass iPhone 8 that might be just as durable as the aluminum models.

Lastly, an all-glass iPhone 8 would feel better in one’s hand, give the device a premium glossy appearance and potentially permit Apple to get rid of the antenna lines altogether or reduce them further. That’s because an all-glass back enables reliable wireless connectivity because it doesn’t prevent the transmission of radio waves.

While the renderings you see here still show the antenna lines, they’re less visible than on the current models. Oh, and please disregard the 3.5mm headphone jack port on the images—clearly, Apple isn’t going to put the 3.5mm port back a year after removing it from iPhone 7.

How do you like Steel’s conceptual renderings? Is this what all-glass iPhone 8 design should look like? Tells us what you think in the comment section below.

Source: Steel Drake