Apple has assigned the headphone jack to the history books on its iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, leaving the Lightning Port as the only physical connection lon the smartphone. But that could also have its days numbered if the latest predictions regarding the design of the iPhone 8 are to be believed.

There's little doubt the iPhone 8 will retain the Lightning Port, but as MacRumors reports, Apple is expected to ship its next iPhone in an all-glass casing. The reason for the switch from metal to glass is the introduction of wireless charging, potentially allowing the iPhone 8 to be used without ever having to plug it in.

That prediction comes via KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who also believes that Pegatron will be the exclusive supplier of the wireless charger for Apple.

We first heard suggestion of the iPhone 8 supporting wireless charging at the beginning of November, when it was reported that Foxconn was manufacturing charging modules for Apple's next smartphone. If Kuo is to be believed, Foxconn didn't secure the contract.

Wireless charging has both its positives and negatives. On the plus side, it's very convenient to simply place your smartphone on a charging pad instead of fumbling to plug a cable in. It also stops your phone from being thrown or dropped if you happen to catch the cable. However, charging can take longer, and the use of an all-glass casing to support it means dropping your iPhone is more likely to be fatal. It also means that, if wireless charging proves popular, Apple does have a case for removing the Lightning Port in the iPhone 9 or beyond.

Just about every feature of the last two generations of iPhone have leaked before Tim Cook takes to the stage to unveil them. We should expect the same for the iPhone 8, with most features known well before the typical September launch event next year.