This rumor comes courtesy of The Verifier (via 9to5Mac) who claims that the iPhone 8 will feature the Smart Connector feature. The connection is said to help facilitate “wireless” charging and will also support VR/AR accessories, although we’re not sure which, unless the report means that Apple will launching their own set of VR/AR accessories.
Given that Apple tends to share its technology across its products, the idea that maybe Apple could some day transition to using the Smart Connector on its iPhone lineup doesn’t really seem like a stretch. However whether or not it will debut with the iPhone 8 and whether or not it will be used for wireless charging and/or VR/AR accessories is a different story.
However we have heard that Apple could be introducing wireless charging for the iPhone 8 this year, which along with new hardware features like an OLED display could account for its higher-than-normal price tag.