iPhone 8 image leak shows a fingerprint scanner on the rear

The front of the iPhone 8 looks to be all screen according to most of the leaks and rumors we've seen for the phone so far, but we haven't known where the Touch ID fingerprint scanner would be moving until now.

A real-life photo of the iPhone 8 suggests the fingerprint scanner will sit on the rear of the phone for the very first time for an Apple device.

The photo was posted to a Chinese forum and shows a new iPhone model being packaged up in a factory. The box the devices are being loaded into also says Foxconn on it, a major manufacturing company Apple uses to make devices.

The iPhone 8 packaged up and ready to go. Credit: Feng

The iPhone 8 packaged up and ready to go. Credit: Feng

It's not certain that the iPhone 8 is the model pictured or even if the picture is legitimately from the Apple manufacturing line. We can't verify the source and the blurred image does make us a little less trusting of the source.

Another big question is whether this is the iPhone 8, or even a picture of the iPhone 7S/iPhone 7 Plus. From the photo it looks to be a metal handset, while an earlier leak suggested the iPhone 7S Plus will have a glass back, so it's likely not that device.

The photo above shows a very similar device to the iPhone 7 Plus, but the major change is the fingerprint scanner sitting right below the Apple logo.

Moving the Touch ID sensor to the back of the phone will free up space on the front of the device and there's heavily rumored to be facial tracking tech built into the phone, so you can unlock from the front without touching the fingerprint scanner.

We will hopefully know everything about the iPhone 8, iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus in the coming weeks, with all three phones expected to be announced at an event in September or October this year.

Via GSMArena

James Peckham

James is Managing Editor for Android Police. Previously, he was Senior Phones Editor for TechRadar, and he has covered smartphones and the mobile space for the best part of a decade bringing you news on all the big announcements from top manufacturers making mobile phones and other portable gadgets. James is often testing out and reviewing the latest and greatest mobile phones, smartwatches, tablets, virtual reality headsets, fitness trackers and more. He once fell over.