iPhone 8: Rumours, release date and everything you need to know

Apple is gearing up to release the iPhone 8 in a few weeks' time. The upcoming smartphone is anticipated to mark a radical change for the company as it seeks to wow users with a 10th anniversary device.

The iPhone 8, if indeed it is called that, has been rumoured to include wireless charging, facial recognition, an edge-to-edge display and - for the first time - no home button.

The latest leaks have revealed the three colours to expect from the new iPhone and its screen design. Here's what we're expecting from the iPhone 8 release.

When will it be released?

Apple has developed a fairly regular release pattern. A new iPhone is usually unveiled in early September, either on a Tuesday or Wednesday.

Perhaps by coincidence, it normally comes the week after IFA, a major technology conference in Germany, which this year starts on September 1. That means the best guess is Tuesday September 5 or Wednesday September 6 for the iPhone 8 release. Because the Monday is a US holiday, Wednesday might be more likely.

The phone then tends to go on sale a week or two later on a Friday, so September 15 or 22 are the best bets. Pre-orders tend to open a week before they go on sale.

There have been repeated rumours of production delays around the new launch. Apple has dismissed these fears, predicting strong sales in the coming months - above expectations and presumably driven by an iPhone launch.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said a current "pause" in sales "probably bodes well for the future".

One respected Apple analyst has predicted three new iPhones will be released on the same day, but the iPhone 8 with its advanced design elements will see limited supply for early orders in the first few months of sales.

What will it be called?

Apple has followed a familiar pattern since it released the iPhone 3G back in 2008. It launches a new phone with a major cosmetic change one year and then follows a year later with an improved "s" model. The last iPhone was the iPhone 7 so by that logic the next one would be called the iPhone 7s.

However, there are reasons to believe it could change this year. For one thing, last year's iPhone 7 was less of a radical departure from the iPhones of the previous two years, at least appearance-wise. If Apple does choose to introduce a brand new design, it probably wouldn't want to call it the 7s. The iPhone 8 makes more sense in that case.

Apple may choose to make a splash for its 10th anniversary, though. One rumoured name is the iPhone X. This makes some sense - few of Apple's series make it into double digits before changing their naming conventions (iPhone 13?) - so at some point a change is likely. There's a precedent here in Apple's Mac operating system - it went 1, 2, 3 and so on before switching to OS X.

How much will it cost?

Potentially a lot. Flagship handsets have been going up in price every year and the iPhone 8 could be Apple's most expensive handset yet, costing more than $1,000 in the US and £800 in the UK, Fast Company reports.

An executive at Apple manufacturer Foxconn has suggested the device will "not be cheap".

What will it look like?

What colours will it come in?

Analysts and leaks suggest the iPhone 8 will come in at least three colours: white, black and copper or gold. The white and black colours are fairly standard, but a third colour is thought to be coming in either a copper or a champagne gold hue.

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