There are plenty rumors swirling around the iPhone 8 and it seems like one of these is actually in the pipeline over at Apple headquarters in Cupertino.  

There have been rumors that Apple would incorporate facial recognition for the device's locking mechanism and now a leaked patent application is lending weight to these rumors.

The patent filed by the tech giant apparently uses the front-facing camera to detect and recognize the face of the user and if it matches, then the device will be unlocked.  

It also seems like Apple is going to shake up the design of its next flagship to have a curved screen. 

Japanese magazine the Nikkei Asian Review reports that Apple will be introducing "gentler" curves to the OLED display of the upcoming device. 

By "gentler" it is meaning in comparison to the curved screen of rival device, the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.  

"While the curved screen will allow a viewable area of about 5.2 inches and make the iPhone even sleeker, it will not offer significant new functions," the publication stated.

It added that Apple would bring out the new flagship phone in two size variants, one 5.5-inch model and a smaller 4.7-inch variant.

There was a leak of a patent last month that speaks of a "full-face screen [that] could place hardware below a glass cover in an inactive part of the display."

Newsweek reports other patents filed by Apple point to a foldable iPhone in the pipeline that builds flexibility into the phone by using carbon nanotubes.

Whatever the exact specs, Apple's next flagship is expected to be a whopper as its release will coincide with the 10th anniversary of Apple's first ever smartphone.

It is yet to confirm the price of the iPhone 8 but some reports predict it could come with a price tag around the $1,000 mark.