In reimagining the iPhone from the ground up with new features like wireless charging, Apple will reportedly also have to rethink how the handset is built, adding a thin graphite sheet to the handset's internals to prevent overheating.
"iPhone 8" OLED concept .
This year's anticipated flagship iPhone, known colloquially as an "iPhone X" for the smartphone's 10th anniversary, is expected to switch to a glass external casing while also offering wireless charging. Wireless charging adds heat, and glass handles that heat poorer than metal.
In addition, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities, the switch to a new film sensor for 3D Touch in the new handset is more sensitive to heat. As a result, he expects that Apple's "iPhone X" or "iPhone 8" will gain a graphite sheet to help dissipate heat.