If this iPhone 8 rumour is true, the new OLED iPhone is going to be EXTREMELY expensive

iPhone 8 could be an eye-wateringly expensive purchase, if the latest reports around the upcoming smartphone are to be believed.

According to a new research note from JPMorgan, Apple is looking to bundle a pair of wireless AirPod headphones with the next-generation smartphone.

Apple introduced the AirPods last September, following the revelation that it had dropped the industry-standard 3.5mm headphone port from its latest iPhone model.

AirPods are a pair of bluetooth earphones that boast high-quality audio playback, long battery life, and the ability to automatically pair and switch between your Apple devices.

It makes sense that these flagship wireless headphones would be bundled with the no-holds-barred iPhone 8.

Especially since the latter is unlikely to restore the 3.5mm headphone port. Unfortunately, as nice as a pair of AirPods in the box would be, it hints at the hefty price tag of the iPhone 8.

Apple currently sells AirPods for £159, and the entry-level iPhone 7 Plus for £719. That means the iPhone 8 would be unlikely to retail for anything less than £872.

And that’s before factoring in the upgrades expected for the new iPhone.

According to the same research JPMorgan note, the iPhone 8 will add OIS, Optical Image Stabilisation, to both lens used in the rear dual-camera set-up.

Apple will also purportedly include 3D sensing facial recognition functionality in a dual front-facing camera set-up, as well as better speakers and enhanced waterproofing.

Overall, JPMorgan estimates that these exterior and interior upgrades will Apple an additional $ 75 to $ 80 per unit in components alone.

This is simply the bill for the materials and does not include the R&D development costs, marketing costs, or profit.

So, provided the information is accurate, the iPhone 8 could theoretically be much closer to the £1,000 mark we’ve heard rumoured in the past.

Elsewhere, the Apple iPhone 8, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the best-selling smartphone range, will reportedly include an all-new glass design closer to the iPhone 4 than the current generation.

It is also expected to ship with an OLED display with True Tone, Touch ID embedded beneath the glass display, and wireless distance charging.

Apple is expected to debut the iPhone 8 alongside the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus, which will feature only a few minor upgrades, in September.

According to JPMorgan, these iterative updates will have some slight aesthetic changes when compared to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

The analyst note claims Apple will move from anodised aluminium so that it can include wireless charging capabilities.

The news comes as a new analyst report from Deutsche Bank claimed the delays affecting the iPhone 8 could push the release date into 2018.

The latest Deutsche Bank analyst report, which is based on a report from ValueWalk, references “technical challenges” as one of the primary reasons for the iPhone 8 release date delay.

The research note says “report suggests no new iPhone 8 this calendar year.

“As we have written in previous [research notes], several supply chain reports have suggested that key component shortages and technical challenges could delay the release of a high-end iPhone 8 device this fall.

“We believe this report further underscores the uncertainty around the timing of Apple’s next-generation iPhone model.”

This is the most drastic delay we’ve heard about, however, there does appear to be a consensus amongst Apple watchers that the iPhone 8 might miss its September launch window.