The Apple iPhone has been a perpetual fixture of public attention, and also an innovative front-runner in smartphone technology.
With some people opting to get the newest model iPhone every year, even though the previous version only came out a few months before, the extent of iPhone’s influence is very obvious. And indeed, it’s quite hard to image what life was like before smartphones dominated it.
Apple’s latest flagship is rumoured to be released in three versions: the iPhone 7, the iPhone 7 Plus, and the iPhone 7 PRO. The release is probably sometime during September, between the 7th and the 23rd.
Here are some things we’ve heard about the iPhone 7.
A DIFFERENT SHAPE?
Apple has always challenged the status quo on smartphone design. But it is still expected that the iPhone 7 will retain some semblance of its predecessors; it cannot quite overhaul its distinctive iPhone features yet.
This new phone might have a transitionary design, which will mean there could be something big planned for the next year’s product. After all, 2017 will be the 10th anniversary of Apple. But let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.
SCRATCH RESISTANT
The new phone is supposedly going to have a liquid metal case and sapphire glass screen (Apple has been using sapphire glass for its iPhone 6s cameras). This combination will mean the iPhone will be quite durable and lightweight.
Speaking of which….
NO HEADPHONE JACK
The newly announced Galaxy Note 7 specs confirm that Samsung's new phone will be faster, but the Note 5 is no slouch when it comes to performance either.
Now here’s something controversial.
So apparently Apple is getting rid of their 3.5 mm headphone jack. Some people might think that this is about time considering the audio plugs have been around for around since the 19th Century. But this move is not like removing the CD drive, or the USB type-A docks, this is trying to remove something still widely used.
This is one rumour that wavers, and is unconfirmed. Least to say, it will cause a few compatibility problems if Apple do decide to go ahead with it.
Take note, the iPhone 7 is not the first phone to get rid of the headphone jack. A few Lenovo phones have eradicated theirs already, but that has caused some complications (including buying headphone jack dongles!).2 And some question whether this will instigate stricter DRMs.
No headphone jacks mean the iPhone 7 will be slightly thinner, but it will also mean you’ll have to find another way to listen to your music.
Wireless earphones, anyone?
DUAL CAMERA, BETTER PHOTOS
One of the larger models (either iPhone 7 Plus or PRO) is rumoured to have two cameras. This dual camera feature would mean better and sharper images, so you can take even more vivid photos when travelling around. As it will be preinstalled with the IOS 10, the iPhone will be able to do a lot more for your photos.
FASTER CHARGING
One of the major rumours is that the iPhone 7 will have faster charging, which will double that of the iPhone 6S.
However, if you are aware of Samsung mobile devices, they have been utilising their Adaptive Fast Charge adapter since around 2013. Same can be said about Huawei.
BETTER BATTERY LIFE
The iPhone has always had trouble retaining its battery. For the iPhone 7, there might also be an approximate 14% increase in battery.5 If the gossip on faster charging proves true, then this is really a step up in the iPhone’s utility.
MORE COLOUR VARIATION
The colours for the iPhone 7 include those available to the previous iPhone 6: silver, gold, and rose-gold. Except there are rumours that it may come in another two colours, one named ‘Space Black’, and the other, ‘Deep Blue’.
As mentioned previously, the new IOS 10 software is rumoured to provide an immense upgrade on the phone’s basic applications such as iMessage, Photos, and Siri.6 IOS 10 will be available as an update for the pre-existing Apple products.
The new processor chip is rumoured to be product of a collaboration with Samsung. The chip will be smaller, and the processing will be faster.
The Apple Touch ID is also sounds like it’s getting a revamp soon; Apple has filed for a patent where you can scan multiple fingerprints at once. However, it’s unlikely for this feature to be included in this year’s product.
OUR VERDICT
Apple is a company that constantly aims further than anyone else can go. Sometimes they succeed, sometimes they flop, and sometimes they make no difference at all. Certainly removing the headphone jack might cause a few initial problems. And apart from the issue of the fast charging, they seem to be quite on top of the game this time with their new iPhone 7. We cannot wait to see just how much of these rumours are true.
References
- www.time.com/4459835/apple-iphone-7/
- www.mashable.com/2016/07/23/killing-headphone-jack-sucks/#ynkj9DOz6Oqc
- www.techdirt.com/articles/20160812/16502635229/why-apple-removing-audio-jack-iphone-would-be-very-very-very-bad-move.shtml
- www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2016/08/22/iphone-7-the-top-11-possible-new-features-and-how-likely-they-ar/
- www.teenvogue.com/story/7-rumors-iphone-7/
- www.time.com/4459835/apple-iphone-7/