We look at the rumored specifications and features that the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus could boast.
Like every year, Apple looks all set to unveil the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, sometime in September. Ahead of the official unveiling, we’ve come across a lot of leaks and rumors hinting at the new features that are likely to make way to the new iPhones. Right from improved waterproofing to removal of the age-old 3.5mm audio jack, 32GB of base storage variant, a dual-camera setup on the iPhone 7 Plus and more, there’s a lot of new stuff that Apple could introduce this year. Here is a roundup of all the features and specifications that have been rumored so far, which we will keep on updating right until Apple launches the new iPhones.
New color variant: The iPhone 6 was offered in Gold, Silver and Space Gray Color options. With the iPhone 6s, Apple introduced a new ‘Rose Gold’ color option. Now, with the iPhone 7, Apple is rumored to add yet another color variant called ‘Space Black.’ Rumors also point that it could be a slightly darker variant of the ‘Space Gray’ color. Renders of how the iPhone 7 would look in the new color, reveal what could possibly be our new favorite iPhone color.
Home Button with Force Touch: Rumors have been doing rounds that Apple could do away with the physical home button and the fingerprint scanner could be embedded right within the display. However, at least for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the Home Button is likely to stay. However, Apple may use a non-moving button, and add Force Touch feature to it, something similar to what it has implemented on the MacBook’s touch pad. The home button could also offer a haptic feedback to simulate a click.
Design: So far, Apple has come up with a new iPhone design in every two years in a ‘tick, tock’ cycle, where every third year, we came across a new design. But Apple could change that this year and may go with ‘tick, tock, tock’ cycle, by not going for a complete design overhaul with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. In 2017, Apple will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, and it may be the opportune time for the company to introduce a completely refreshed iPhone.
But that does not mean that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus won’t have any design changes at all. The ugly antenna lines on the back might go away in the new iPhones. They are likely to be marginally slimmer and even the camera protrusion might not be as pronounced as before.
Similar to the iPhone 6/iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 Plus/iPhone 6s Plus, this year too, Apple could release two smartphones – one with a 4.7-inch display and the other with a 5.5-inch display. There are rumors about a ‘Pro’ variant too, but it remains to be seen if it turns out to be true.
Headphone jack to go away: There have been rumors on and off that Apple could do away with the traditional 3.5mm jack. We have already come across some design schematics and leaked iPhone shells that show that the audio jack is gone forever. Audio on the new iPhones will be routed via the Lightning connector and via Bluetooth. There are also rumors that Apple is working on truly wireless headphones for the iPhone 7.
Chipset and RAM: The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to be powered by Apple’s next-gen A10 processor. The current generation A9 processor is manufactured by Samsung and TSMC. Last year, the TSMC A9 processor was found to outperform the Samsung-made A9 chipset and current rumors suggest that the A10 processor could be solely manufactured by TSMC. Coming to the RAM, the iPhone 7 could continue with the same 2GB of RAM, whereas the iPhone 7 Plus could feature 3GB of RAM.
Storage: For the past few years, the base variant of iPhone comes with 16GB of onboard storage, out of which, only 12GB is user accessible. With a higher resolution camera that can capture 4K videos, graphics intense games and 64-bit apps for the iPhone, 16GB of storage is turning out to be too less. To address this, Apple is likely to do away with 16GB base variant and make 32GB the new standard, starting with iPhone 7. Just like the iPad Pro with 256GB onboard storage, the iPhone 7 could also get a 256GB version.
Cameras: Apple has always worked on the camera bit of the iPhones and this year won’t be any different. The new iPhone 7 is likely to come equipped with a slightly upgraded camera, maybe not an increase in megapixel count, but with larger pixel sensor and larger aperture for better low-light photography. The iPhone 7 Plus, on the other hand, could exclusively feature a dual-camera setup at the back. While one camera will be used for clicking pictures, the other could be used for 2-3x optical zoom and for improved low-light performance.
Last year, Apple acquired a camera technology firm LinX, which specializes in dual-lens technology. Recently, MacRumors also spotted an Apple patent that shows off a split-screen viewfinder – allowing users to view full image in the wide-angle lens and zoom in with the telephoto lens. This could very well make way to the iPhone 7 Plus.
Waterproofing: One of the highlights of the Samsung Galaxy 7 and Galaxy S7 edge is the water and dust resistant capabilities, allowing users to use the phone in the rain or submerge it under 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes without damaging the internals. The current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus does unofficially sport some sort of water resistant capabilities, and the feature could officially make way to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Smart Connector: A couple of design renders that surfaced earlier this year pointed to smart connector on the back of iPhone 7 Plus. If it turns out to be real, it could allow users to connect a Smart Keyboard to make typing easier.
Other rumors also suggest that we could see a quad speaker setup for enhanced audio experience, long distance wireless charging from a distance of up to 15 feet and more. However, it remains to be seen what all rumored features finally make way to the Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
Source: bgr.in
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