IPHONE 7: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are coming in 2016. Here's everything we know about Apple's next flagship smartphone.
iPhone 7 FAQ:
When will the iPhone 7 be released: September 2016 is highly likely
How much will the iPhone 7 cost: It should cost the same as the iPhone 6S so prices should start at £539/$649
What's new about the iPhone 7: If rumours are to be believed then the iPhone 7 will make more waves because of what it's missing than what it comes with. It's very likely that we've seen the last of the 3.5mm headphone jack. There are also plenty of analysts that believe the Home button will disappear, the 16GB storage variant will finally be shunned, and that the phone will feature a dual-camera setup. Otherwise expect the usual processor and screen improvements.
Credit: Jermaine SmitIPHONE 7 NEWS AND RUMOURS IN BRIEF
One analyst believes that a future iPhone is likely to feature an 'all-glass design'. But that same analyst – KGI Securities' Ming-Chu Kuo – says the iPhone 7 won't have "many attractive selling points".
We're even starting to see schematics, renders and dummy units leaking online, which gels with Apple's estimated development timeline. Some of these are pretty terrible and most should be taken with a fistful of salt – you can find the worst offenders further down the page.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will succeed to two well-received devices – the iPhone 6Sand iPhone 6S Plus – arguably Apple's best 'S' version phones yet. The pressure is on to get the formula right again. The biggest rumour is that Apple will abandon the headphone jack with the iPhone 7, although the jury is still out on that one.
Credit: Jermaine Smit
Will there be two iPhones launching in September, just like previous years? We’d say probably. The size split has been successful in the past, so we’re expecting to see a 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and a 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus. However, if rumours that the Home button will be removed are to be believed we may be in for more compact handsets. The previous design didn't make the most of cramming a big screen in a small body.
Apple has also ticked the 4-inch box this year with the launch of the iPhone SE.
The iPhone 7 is already facing stiff competition, and it hasn’t even launched yet. Rival handsets like the Google Nexus 6P, Samsung Galaxy S7, HTC 10 and LG G5 will put the hurt to Apple in a big way, so the iPhone 7 needs to be innovative.
Watch – Trusted Explains: Buying a new smartphone
IPHONE 7 RELEASE DATE UK & US – WHEN WILL
THE NEW IPHONE 7 COME OUT?
Apple, more so than many of its rivals, is a creature of habit, which makes it very simple to predict the iPhone 7 release date.
The best strategy is to look at previous iPhone launches, which we’ve outlined below:
- iPhone 6S – Wednesday, September 9 (reveal), Saturday, September 19 (release date)
- iPhone 6 – Tuesday, September 9 (reveal), Friday, September 19 (release date)
- iPhone 5S – Tuesday, September 10 (reveal), Friday, September 20 (release date)
- iPhone 5 – Wednesday, September 12 (reveal), Friday, September 21 (release date)
Based on those dates, we’d expect the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus reveal to take place on either:
- Tuesday, September 6
- Wednesday, September 7
- Tuesday, September 13
- Wednesday, September 14
And we’d expect the iPhone 7 release date to fall on either Friday, September 16, or Friday, September 23.
If we were forced to mark our calendars, we’d probably place our bets on September 14 and September 23 for reveal and release, but we can’t say for sure until Apple starts sending out invites.
Related: WWDC – What to expect
IPHONE 7 FEATURES – WHAT’S NEW ABOUT THE IPHONE 7?
One of the most obvious upgrades we’re sure to see with the iPhone 7 is the introduction of a new processor. It’s generally accepted that Apple’s A10 system-on-a-chip will feature in the new device, bringing with it assured improvements to processing and graphics.
It’s also looking very likely that Apple is going to abandon the 3.5mm headphone jack that you use to connect your headphones. Instead, users will be forced to plug in via the Lightning port, which will mean purchasing an expensive adapter for many, or using Bluetooth headphones. This is just a rumour, albeit one mounting in evidence, so don’t start flogging your lug-huggers just yet.
Camera upgrades are also a dead cert. There’s potential to finally get optical image stabilisation on the smaller iPhone 7, something reserved for Plus models only until now. We’re also likely to see improved low-light performance on both the iPhone 7 cameras.
And finally, it seems almost certain that the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will both feature Apple’s upcoming – but not yet announced – iOS 10 software. It’s expected that the new software version will be revealed at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, which will likely be held in June.
Related: Android vs iOS vs Windows 10 Mobile
SHOULD I WAIT FOR THE IPHONE 7?
If the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus aren’t hugely popular, we’ll eat our keyboards. Apple devices always command hype like no other, and so we don’t need to do much convincing for fans of the brand.
That said, Android is now a slick, powerful operating system that most will find as easy to use as iOS. And with formidable rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S7, LG G5 and Nexus 6P already available, the iPhone 7 is very much up against it.
What’s more, the iPhone 7 will be launching at a similar time to other expected handsets like the Samsung Galaxy Note 6 and Google’s Nexus 2016 handset(s).
The new Samsung Galaxy S7
And if you’re a fan of iOS but hate the large 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch frames of flagship iPhones, you might want to consider the iPhone SE, Apple's new 4-inch smartphone. The iPhone SE was unveiled on March 21, 2016, and released to the public on March 31. It boasts a near-identical design to the iPhone 5S, and comes in 16GB and 64GB storage variants.
It’s worth a mention that the iPhone 7 doesn’t yet sound like it will offer significant upgrades over the iPhone 6S. So if you’ve got last year’s handset, you might want to wait for the inevitable “S” version next year. That said, it’s still early days, and attractive features are sure to leak out in the coming months. as well as sneak peaks at the new design.
Related: iPhone 7 Storage
IPHONE 7 VIDEOS AND IMAGES:
Though it’s still early days, we’ve already seen a handful of iPhone 7 video and image leaks.
First up is this iPhone 7 case video by prolific tech leak YouTube channel Unbox Therapy, in partnership with the reputable leaker Sonny Dickson:
We’ve also seen a couple of images rumoured to show off early versions of the iPhone 7 – and cases – as you’ll see below:
Via OnLeaks
Via MacRumors
That last snap is particularly interesting. While we're unable to verify the image's legitimacy, MacRumors claims that it could be a pre-production dummy version of Apple's next iPhone. The shot reveals a number of possible iPhone 7 features:
- Three drill holes on the bottom – an iPad Pro-style Smart Connector?
- No antenna bands on the back
- A camera lens that is flush with the chassis
- No headphone jack on the bottom of the phone – has it been scrapped for good?
- Proportionally similar to the iPhone 6S, perhaps identical
Due to the nature of this leak, however, we should be cautious about drawing too many conclusions from it. Nonetheless, it's a solid depiction of all the iPhone 7 rumours to date, and is a likely representation of what the actual iPhone 7 will look like.
OnLeaks – which partnered with mobile comparison site uSwitch – recently leaked this schematic:
And another recent leak, this time from Chinese media social site Weibo, gives us a look at a claimed rose gold iPhone 7 prototype. We're not convinced of its legitimacy, but they're worth a look:
Thanks to all of these leaks, Dutch designer and animator Jermaine Smit was able to create a design concept video for the iPhone 7 Plus. Smit said: "It's a fast-made concept so it won't be my best. Sorry for that, but this is all I could manage in the time I had." Check it out:
Another leak, again posted on China's Weibo social network, depicts an iPhone with a seriously upscaled camera lens. We're not convinced this is a legitimate leak, as this image could quite easily have been faked. However, it's worth noting that Apple already uses protruding camera lenses on its current generation of iPhones.
IPHONE 7 SPECS
Details on iPhone 7 specs are still light at this point, but we’ve heard some early rumours nonetheless.
Processor
First up is the probable introduction of the A10 system-on-a-chip, the next generation of Apple’s custom-built processors. While it’s not clear what improvements will be in store, we’ll likely see power efficiency savings, increased performance, and a boost to graphical processing.
It’s also widely rumoured that Intel is courting Apple to supply the modems for the iPhone 7. Until now, Qualcomm has been the lead supplier for modems in Apple’s mobile devices, but Intel is said to have a 1,000-strong team of employees on the case. However, it’s worth noting that Qualcomm isn’t being entirely shut out; apparently, it will still make a significant share of the modems.
Related: Apple Watch review
The rumour is mostly interesting because of the suggestion that Apple is keen to reduce its reliance on Qualcomm. That’s a similar sentiment that’s reportedly held by senior Samsung officials, which explains the company’s recent push with its own Exynos processors. It’s said that Apple is looking to wean itself off third-party suppliers in the future too.
RAM
As far as other specs go, we’re not quite sure. The most recent round of iPhones featured 2GB of RAM, so we’d expect the same with the iPhone 7. After all, Apple has historically been very cautious and considered when it comes to arbitrary hardware upgrades.
Storage
Recent rumours have suggested that Apple will finally abandon the 16GB variant with the iPhone 7. The latest analyst to contend that is IHS Technology's Kevin Wang, who said: "Supply chain research shows that the new iPhone's RAM is 2GB, ROM 32GB onwards."
But Wang isn't alone. Speaking to TrustedReviews, CSS Insight Chief of Research Ben Wood said:
"I think it's a pretty good bet. I think for the next generation of iPhone, it would make a lot of sense for Apple to offer bigger memory configurations. The cost of memory keeps dropping all the time. So the marginal cost for Apple to put that really huge memory allocation in the phone would be minimal, and it would make a lot of sense."
A recent reported via research firm TrendForce also claimed that Apple has "settled on most of the specs for the next iPhone," including a 256GB storage option. That's not the first time we've heard such a contention. Speaking to TrustedReviews, Avril Wu, another TrendForce analyst, said:
"We believe 256GB storage being adopted in the next generation of iPhone is really likely to happen. However, even if 256GB is the case, it will only be used in 5.5-inch model's 'premium' version."
We also heard from James Moar, Senior Analyst at Juniper Research, who told us:
"If a 256GB iPhone is to be released, it will be as part of a wider...offering (potentially an iPhone 7 Plus), that can be used in the workplace in the same way as the iPad Pro is intended to be."
You can read more about the prospects for iPhone 7 storage here.
IPHONE 7 DESIGN:
Apple is planning a major rethink of the iPhone design, at least according to top industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, of KGI Securities.
On April 18, Kuo issued guidance that Apple is hoping to differentiate the iPhone from rivals by adopting an "all-glass" design with an AMOLED screen.
This could mean that we'll soon see an end to the aluminium chassis that has featured on previous iPhones, as Kuo notes:
"If iPhone 7 still uses an aluminium casing in 2016, it will be the fifth year in a row that iPhone has done so, which means there is no longer a feeling of freshness to appeal to consumers. Also, a lot of Apple's (US) competitors are also adopting aluminium casings, which means iPhone no longer has a clear edge due to a lack of differentiation. On expectations that iPhone shipments will decline in 2016, we believe Apple will be more strongly motivated to use non-aluminium casings in 2017 in a bid to enhance the competitiveness of iPhone by offering an all-new form-factor design."
Unfortunately, Kuo expects that the all-glass iPhone won't actually arrive until 2017, which means this big change is more likely to appear in the expected iPhone 7S or iPhone 8.
Kuo also recently revealed that he believes the iPhone 7 won't have "many attractive selling points", putting a damper on prospects for this year's Apple flagship.
IPHONE 7 BATTERY LIFE:
The iPhone 6S uses a 1,715 mAh lithium ion battery, which Apple said offered 14 hours of talk time, 11 hours of video playback, and 10 days of standby time.
As the iPhone 7 isn’t expected to differ hugely from the iPhone 6S, it seems probable that a similar battery capacity will feature again.
However, we could see improvements to battery life, even if the battery capacity doesn’t change. That’s because it’s likely Apple will make some efficiency improvements with its A10 processor.
Still the Galaxy S7 has significantly increased the size of its battery so Apple may have to do something similar or risk being left behind in the battery life stakes.
IPHONE 7 SCREEN AND FEATURES
The most contentious rumour about the iPhone 7 is that Apple will remove the headphone jack. Several leaks seem to suggest that Apple will drop the 3.5mm audio jack on the next iPhone, forcing users to instead connect their headphones via the Lightning port. That means, of course, that you won't be able to use your existing headphones, unless they either support a Lightning connection, or you're willing to pay for an adapter.
One of the more compelling leaks came courtesy of Japanese magazine Mac Fan. The publication revealed supposed schematics for the iPhone 7, with no headphone jack in sight. Of course, it's impossible to verify such an image this early, so take it with due caution:
However, the death knell isn't necessarily sounding for the headphone jack. French tech site Nowhereelse – known for its regular mobile industry leaks – has published an image that seems to depict a Lightning cable assembly for the iPhone 7. The assembly is clearly different than the one built into the current iPhone 6S. But what's notable about the image is that a headphone jack features on the iPhone 7 assembly.
Nowhereelse claims to have acquired the image from an anonymous source posting to Chinese social media site Weibo. Unfortunately, we can't verify this image either. That's important, because the assembly pictured could quite easily be faked. We have, however, seen images of what the Lighting-to-headphone adapters might look like. Chinese accessory maker Tama Electric posted images of three such adapters online:
On the matter of connectors, a recently leaked image that depicted a never-before-seen iPhone showed a device with three dots near the base. Many speculated that this could be a Smart Connector.
But a more recent report suggests this image is false. According to Japanese Apple-centric news site Mac Otakara, Apple has "shelved" plans for a Smart Connector on the iPhone 7.
To date, the Smart Connector has only appeared on the ipad Pro. It's used to let the tablet connect to Apple's custom-built Smart Keyboard accessory. If Apple's next iPhone did feature a smart connector, it would likely serve a similar (if not identical) function.
Another rumour doing the rounds is that the iPhone 7 will come bundled with wireless Beats in-ear headphones. If this does happen we’d expect them to be Apt-Xcompatible so that audio quality isn’t significantly compromised by being compressed over Bluetooth.
Several leaks also appear to show the inclusion of dual-speakers on the bottom of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. However, as this rumour is based on early case renders, it’s tough to speak to the legitimacy of the claim.
In terms of sensors, we’re not expecting any huge departures from previous Apple handsets. For reference, the iPhone 6S featured a Touch ID fingerprint scanner, a barometer, a three-axis gyro, an accelerometer, a proximity sensor, and an ambient light sensor.
IPHONE 7 SOFTWARE: IOS 9 OR IOS 10?
The latest version of Apple’s iOS mobile software is iOS 9, which was released midway through 2015.
The OS update brought with it a number of improvements, including better multitasking for the iPad, and boosted Siri intelligence. It also introduced the Apple News platform.
Credit: Jermaine Smit
But the iPhone 7 is unlikely to ship with iOS 9 on board. Instead, we’re expecting to see the upcoming iOS 10 debut on the iPhone 7.
Apple is expected to show off iOS 10 at its WWDC 2016. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a date for the event just yet, although it’s likely to fall in June.
We don’t really have many clues as to what changes Apple will introduce with iOS 10, but here’s what we’d like to see.
Related: Apple Watch 2 release date
IPHONE 7 PRICE:
As with the release date, the iPhone 7 price isn’t too tough to guess. After all, Apple tends to stick with similar mark-ups year in, year out.
Here are the UK launch prices for the most recent Apple handsets:
- iPhone 5 – £529
- iPhone 5S – £549
- iPhone 6 – £539
- iPhone 6S – £539
Based on those figures, we’d expect to see the iPhone 7 price fall around £539 for the base model.
However, we wouldn’t be surprised to see a slight price hike – perhaps £549? After all, the rival Samsung Galaxy S7 launched at £569, and Apple would be remiss to appear less premium than its South Korean competitor.
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