New Siri icon tells a lot about rumoured iPhone 8 virtual home button

A new graphic for Siri spotted during iOS 11 tests has hinted on Apple’s new virtual home button rumoured to come with the iPhone 8.

Since Samsung ditched the physical home button for an “all screen” Galaxy S8 smartphone, Apple is in rumours to drop the iconic iPhone’s home button with its next flagship. And the new Siri icon spotted on iOS11 appears to confirm such rumours.

In the course of testing, performed by Apple Insider, a different Siri “please wait” graphic appeared. Located at the bottom centre of the device, the new icon was “animated, pulsing and oscillating swirl, and renders in exactly same spot where a home button would be on an edge-to-edge iPhone,” reported Apple Insider.

The current Siri icon is an animated wave that runs back and forth and gets activate only when the physical home button is pressed.

KGI Securities analysts Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most reliable Apple seers around, had earlier said Apple may replace the Touch ID sensor to bring a zero-bezel iPhone design.

(Photo: Apple Insider)

The iPhone 8 is known to be featuring an edge-to-edge OLED display, orders for which have already been placed with Samsung Display unit, and according to Apple Insider, "the iOS 11 presentation of Siri's icon in that specific size and location in relation to the edge of the iPhone 7 Plus display could be,” confirming Apple’s plans on going ahead with it.