As one would expect, Apple is playing it close to the vest when it comes to the upcoming release of the iPhone 7. The company has traditionally refused to tease specific features for the iPhone in the days leading up to each new release, but the with previous introduction of the iPhone 6 the technology giant took an even more subtle approach that was perhaps an attempt to temper expectations and over-deliver. With the iPhone 6 accounting for the first iPhone sales decrease in company history, Apple is looking to rebound and once again rise above competing platforms. How they will do it is still something of a mystery, but here is what we know so far.
The Official Release Date is September 7
According to this source, the iPhone 7 will officially be released on September 7, 2016. Some media outlets had previously reported that the iPhone 7 would be introduced by Apple on September 16 but that turned out to be wrong. The price is likely to remain high, as the model 6S is still going for over 1000 AU$, but other flagship models are in a similar ballpark.
The Home Button is Getting a Facelift
iPhone users have long been voicing their desire for a new home button that replaces the current antiquated design, and Apple appears to have listened. Forbes contributor Ben Sin recently stated that the new home button would be more intuitive and also function in multiple capacities that include a traditional home button, back button, and fingerprint sensor. It is also rumored that the new button will have varying degrees of touch-screen sensitivity as well as a vibrating sensation to give users feedback.
No More Headphone Jack
This one is a little puzzling on the surface, especially since Apple hasn’t clarified what the alternative to a headphone jack will be. Some news outlets think that the logical replacement for the headphone jack will be a lightning port that makes use of Apple’s Lightning cable. If the rumors are true, switching to a lightning port would enable the use of more advanced headphones that possess integrated converters for digital-to-analog processing. This makes a certain amount of sense given Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics.
A Better Camera
Camera phones are all the rage these days, and Apple has certainly made an effort to stress this part of phone manufacture with recent advertising campaigns that feature videos and photographs shot by actual users. The thing is, Samsung has been dominating camera phone technology for a while now. To counteract this, Apple is reportedly adding a dual-lens camera to the iPhone 7. Tech experts state that a dual-lens camera will increase overall sharpness and resolution by combining two images shot of a single subject. The trade-off would appear to be the necessity of more storage for these high-resolution images as well as more processing speed. Only the 5.5″ larger models are rumored to have a dual-lens camera.
More Internal Power
Some of the new features believed to be a part of the iPhone 7 are going to require faster processing speeds. It is thought that the iPhone 7 “Plus” model will have 3GB of RAM. This is certainly a feature that no iPhone user would rightfully complain about. Increased processing speed is always a welcome addition due to the advancement of apps, and more storage is almost guaranteed to be a part of the upgraded phone.
Waterproofing
Given the popularity of the Samsung Note 7, arguably the iPhone’s biggest rival, it would be somewhat unwise if Apple did not give the iPhone 7 better waterproofing. According to a recent article by MacWorld UK, this may be the one feature that can be speculated on without too much worry.
Things Users Probably Won’t See
There are a few fringe modifications that iPhone users have been clamoring for that probably will not make it into the iPhone 7. Many have asked for a 3D screen. While this is unlikely, it is entirely possible the iPhone 7 will have a fairly enhanced wraparound design. A curved display is possible but not likely, unless Apple decides to include it as a feature of the “Plus” model.
While all anyone can do is guess about the specifics of the iPhone 7, it is safe to say that the expectations are high and that Apple needs to hit a homerun.