TomTom Golfer 2 preview: Hole in one, or golf GPS watch that’s par for the course?

TomTom has released a new version of its golf GPS wearable, appropriately called the Golfer 2, looking to put all the information you could want onto your wrist.

It replaces the current Golfer, expanding its functionality and following the same lines as the recent Spark and Runner 2 models.

We spent some time checking out the new golf watch at the launch of the device at the Wearable Technology Show in London.

TomTom Golfer 2: Design

Like TomTom’s other sports watches, the Golfer 2 uses the same body design. This is an evolution of the previous design, with the body extending into a curve that houses the four-way navigation controller on the top, as well as the charging connectors.

The strap is a separate part of the package and it’s softer than the recent runner versions. It’s more supple and that fits the user case better: the Spark and Runner 2 are designed not to hold onto sweat, whereas the Golfer 2 won’t see you sweating quite so hard on the course, so gives you a softer strap designed for comfortable use over a longer period of time.

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The softer band adds a sense of the premium to the occasion too, with a great folding clasp, more like a conventional watch, and highlights around the bezel of the watch and the controller. It initially comes in black or light grey, the latter the better looking in our opinion. 

It’s a lightweight watch and compact; although it contains GPS, it’s not too bulky so you don’t feel like you’ve got a huge lump strapped onto your arm. 

As the design is close to that of the TomTom Spark, much of this is familiar territory. We like the action of the button and we like the contrast of the display. It doesn’t get carried away offering a touchscreen or colour, and that’s likely to result in better battery life. Importantly, the information is easy to see on the display.

The Golfer 2 is also water resistant, so you can play in any weather.

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TomTom Golfer 2: User interface and functions

The TomTom Golfer 2 uses a hierarchical user interface that’s easy to navigate using the controller. This is now pretty standard across a range of TomTom’s devices – like the Bandit action camera – and we’ve found it to be pretty simple to use. It will be familiar to users of the existing Golfer, as it’s pretty much the same information, presented in the same way. 

That means all the information is dedicated to golf, rather than being a multi-sport device. 

Pre-loaded into the Golfer 2 is information on 40,000 courses worldwide, although some of this relates to different combinations on a course. When you fire up the Golfer 2, it will use the GPS to detect where you are and offer you courses nearby. 

Once you’ve selected your course, you’re presented with the information showing you distances to the front, centre and back of each green. There’s an indicator to show you if it’s straight or a dog-leg fairway, as well as giving you detailed information on hazards.

These are graphically represented and placing your hand over the display gives you a magnified view of the hazards, including the distances to them, to help you decide how to play each hole. Much of this information was available in the previous version, but you now have automatic shot detection too.

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Automatic shot detection uses the on-board gyroscope and motion sensors to detect your swing. There’s a feedback buzz at the end of the fore swing so you know it’s registered and cleverly it will only record one shot within a 3m area. That means you can take as many practice swings as you like before taking your shot. 

You’ll be given lay-up points providing distances, while the watch also tracks your distance covered, time on the course and calories burnt as you play.

There’s more information awaiting your arrival the the green, with a map showing the green layout and identifying hazards again, helping you decide how to best tackle the hole. 

Putting isn’t included automatically, so you’ll have to input the number manually. TomTom said that although others will automatically count up your putts, it’s not a very reliable system and better left to manual input.

Once all the information is in, your score card is updated leaving you to proceed to the next hole.

TomTom Golfer 2: Post-game analysis

The TomTom Golfer 2 syncs to your TomTom account thanks to the MySports system, so you’ll be able to view the data on your smartphone, or get a more detailed view through your web browser. 

This will give you a complete breakdown of how you tackled each hole so you can get a better idea of each aspect of your game. The idea is to give you all the information you need to identify weaknesses and help you adapt or focus practise on weaker parts of your game. 

You’ll also be able to compare that with strong performances on a particular course so you can see where you are perhaps going wrong, or could improve. 

First Impressions

The TomTom Golfer 2 will be available in May for £199, which is the same price as the device it replaces. For that you have an updated design with a better strap and a slimmer and more sophisticated design.

There are added features in the shot detection and plenty of information on courses around the world, as well as how you play them. 

The design is familiar to us from our time spent with the TomTom Spark, built around the same module, and we can’t wait to get the TomTom Golfer 2 out on the course to test its capabilities in the real world.

Google’s Inbox gets ‘smart replies’ on the web

With “smart replies,” Google’s Inbox app gave us an easy way to respond to emails on our phones without typing. Now, that feature is headed to Inbox on the web. For the most part, it works the same way: When viewing an email, you can choose from three common responses at the bottom of your window. Tapping one instantly fills out a reply message, which you can edit if need be. Google says 10 percent of Inbox mobile users are already using smart replies, but it’ll be interesting to see if desktop users latch onto it more.

It’s been around a year and a half since Google first introduced Inbox, and while it seemed like an interesting spin on email management at the time, we haven’t heard much about it lately. At first, it seemed like an intriguing experiment around the future of email, with its focus on categories, reminders and algorithmic smarts. Personally, I’ve found it difficult to integrate Inbox into my workflow, mainly because I’m worried about missing out on potentially important messages.

Google Maps makes it easier to hail a ride that isn’t Uber

For almost two years now you’ve been able to open up the Google Maps app, type in a destination and see how much an Uber would cost. If you like the price, you can tap the button, instantly pop into the Uber app and request a car. It’s a neat addition, but one that can also be a little unhelpful if you prefer other ride-hailing and taxi-booking apps. To help, Google is teaming up with a bunch of new providers and integrating their services into Google Maps. These are 99Taxis in Brazil, Ola Cabs in India, Hailo in the UK and Spain, mytaxi in Germany and Spain, and Gett in the UK.

These additions will live alongside Uber in a dedicated ride-hailing tab when you search inside Google Maps. To see them, however, you’ll need to have their respective apps installed on your phone first. Like before, you’ll then get a series of fare estimates — making it simple to compare multiple services — and the option to complete an order inside the relevant mobile app. “When it makes sense, we’ll also show ride service availability when viewing the map in walking and transit directions, and multiple ride services for each provider–where they exist,” Google said in a blog post.

The new options will be hitting the Android app today in their relevant markets. The same functionality will arrive in the iOS app later — Gett, for instance, says the option should appear for iPhone users on March 23rd.

Via: Google Lat Long (Blog Post)

Source: Google Maps (Android)

The best rice cooker

By Karen Solomon and Tim Barribeau

This post was done in partnership with The Sweethome, a buyer’s guide to the best things for your home. Read the full article here.

After going through more than 100 hours of research and cooking more than 200 pounds of rice, we recommend the Hamilton Beach 37549 Digital Simplicity Rice Cooker and Steamer for most people. This 2-to-14-cup model is an outstanding value that’s well suited to most households seeking the ease and convenience of no-fuss, no-burning cooked rice. It makes better-tasting short-grain and medium-grain white rice—the variety most commonly made in a cooker—faster than models 10 times the price. It also offers features you tend not to see on rice cookers at this price, most notably a delay-start mode, stay-warm functions, an insulated lid to hold in steam, a large capacity, and a heavy, high-quality cooking pot. It’s by far the best low-priced cooker we’ve found.

How we tested

For the white-rice tests, we rinsed rice of starch, dust, and any other particulate matter before cooking. Photo: Tim Barribeau

For our original 2013 review, we first tested the cookers informally with some home cooks. Then we conducted a formal group taste test with the chefs from Japanese restaurant Ken Ken Ramen in San Francisco. For this update we didn’t perform a panel test, but in each of the 10 cookers we made a batch of Japanese white rice—likely the most critical and the most-used skill for a rice cooker. Any cooker that performed well on rice flavor, texture, and cooking speed in this test then moved on to three other tests: brown rice, long-grain rice, and quick-cook Japanese rice. For the Japanese-rice tests, we washed the rice of its exterior starch for one full minute and then drained it for one full minute before cooking (we didn’t wash the brown or long-grain white rice).

Our pick

The Hamilton Beach 37549 Digital Simplicity. Photo: Michael Hession

The Hamilton Beach 37549 Digital Simplicity is the best value for most people because it offers tremendous functionality for the price. Above all, it makes short-grain or medium-grain white rice as delicious as what you get from models that cost four times as much.

The construction feels solid, and it cooks more quickly in comparison with most of the competition (it was the second-fastest cooker we tested). With a 14-cup capacity, the Hamilton Beach model is also much larger than many other machines at this price.

Additionally, it’s a pleasure to house on almost any kitchen countertop: Its sleek stainless and black design makes it look like a more expensive model, and it’s more well-contained in a small footprint than most. It delivers on features that we thought a great rice cooker should have, including a timer, stay-warm functions, a tight lid, and a heavy, good-quality cooking pot.

Also great for frequent cooking and brown rice

The Cuckoo CRP-G1015F 10-cup cooker. Photo: Michael Hession

If you make rice at least a couple of times a week or are particularly discerning about rice texture and flavor, consider the Cuckoo CRP-G1015F 10 Cup Electric Pressure Rice Cooker. Because it’s a pressure cooker, it makes both white and brown rice far faster than the competition, and its quick-cook setting was the fastest among all the rice cookers we tested. Next to the results from similar cookers at this price, we found that the texture and flavor of the Cuckoo’s cooked rice is unsurpassed. This model is also built more solidly than the Hamilton Beach and equipped with more cooking options, but those features are worth the significant extra cost only if you make rice frequently.

Runner-up for frequent cooking

The Zojirushi NS-TSC10. Photo: Michael Hession

If the Cuckoo is too expensive for you but you’d like a sturdier and more versatile cooker than the Hamilton Beach, the Zojirushi NS-TSC10 is one of the best machines available, and it’s the only machine we found that makes short-grain, brown, and long-grain white rice well. Zojirushi is a well-known and trusted brand in rice cookers, and the company’s machines are built to last. Note, though, that this is also a very slow machine. (It’ll cost you nearly two hours for a batch of brown rice!) The Zojirushi is more versatile than our Hamilton Beach main pick and a bit cheaper than the Cuckoo, so we think it’s a good alternative should the Cuckoo sell out.

Wrapping it up

After performing more than 100 hours of research and cooking more than 200 pounds of rice, we found the Hamilton Beach 37549 Digital Simplicity is the best rice cooker for most people. This well-designed cooker makes delicious Japanese rice better than models that cost 10 times more. It also has an insulated lid and other features you won’t see on models at this price.

This guide may have been updated by The Sweethome. To see the current recommendation, please go here.

Ohlala CEO Pia Poppenreiter on what ‘paid dating’ really means

Ohlala, an app that facilitates “paid dates,” caused a ripple of raised eyebrows when it launched in New York last month. Despite Ohlala’s insistence that it is not about paying for sex, people had a hard time figuring out what it really was for. The company maintains that line, but a few mixed signals are making it hard for the message to stick. Go to the website and you’ll be greeted with an image of a man and a women just about to kiss, before an explanation of how the service works. Further down, a small note exclaims, “Ohlala is not an escort service. Escorts are not welcome.” I sat down with co-founder and CEO Pia Poppenreiter at SXSW to figure out what Ohlala is, and whether it deserves its salacious reputation.

Before we can fully understand Ohlala, we need to learn a little more about how it came to be. Poppenreiter started out in finance, originally working as an investment banker. She hated it and took a year off as a bartender. Later, she decided to go to Berlin and study business ethics while also working as a research assistant at her university. “I never wanted to found [a startup]. I’m from an entrepreneurial family, and I grew up with the family mood being dictated by the performance of the company. So I wanted more of a safe [professional] environment.”

The resolve for a safe career didn’t last too long. Despite never wanting to launch a startup, she’s already on her second one. The first was Peppr, an app that is very definitely a service for those seeking sexual encounters. The idea for Peppr came to her after she saw sex workers on the streets in Germany (where prostitution is legal) and she thought there must be a better way to connect clients with providers, one that allowed people to avoid working the streets. Peppr is still running, but Poppenreiter is no longer involved.

“Although we have a common understanding of something that is a vagina, the viewing interpretation to everyone was different.”

With one sexual-encounter app on your résumé, it’s understandable that when people see “paid dating” in a state where prostitution is illegal, they might read a little something between the lines. Poppenreiter is aware of the struggle she faces in trying to distance Ohlala’s business model from its predecessor’s. “I understand why people are emotional [about it], and what I am not trying to do is tell them we are right or they are wrong. I am just asking them to reconsider how they view those things.” Poppenreiter’s way of doing this at SXSW involves a deliberately provocative move. The invites for the launch party in Austin boasted that “21 vaginas will be the center of attention.”

The follow-up to the invitation read: “You are all going to come. Let us tell you when.” Poppenreiter acknowledges that she did this assuming that most people would have the wrong idea about what was going to happen. As it happens, the 21 vaginas were sketches, part of an art project in which people were asked to draw vaginas. Most people were familiar with drawing a penis,” she says. “What was so fascinating to find out, although we have a common understanding of something that is a vagina, the viewing interpretation to everyone was different. That’s what’s holding true for personal encounters.” This is the analogy Poppenreiter is hoping will explain Ohlala, and the personal encounters it is hoping to sell: Each will be unique. The other point being that initial assumptions can be wrong.

While Ohlala just came to New York, it’s been running in Germany since last year. The German version is effectively the same except for one key detail: The requests for dates stay active for 24 hours. In the New York version, once a user requests a date, potential companions only have 21 minutes to respond to it. This time limit, Poppenreiter argues, makes the experience “more efficient.” Why 21 minutes? Well, the same reason Ohlala featured 21 vaginas at its launch party: Twenty-one is Poppenreiter’s lucky number.

People are taking the idea of Ohlala seriously, though. The startup just raised $1.7 million in seed funding, most of which was to cover the launch in the US. Among others, backers include the launch team behind Mood-Pilot, a German energy drink with the tagline “How high can you fly?”

So how is that US launch working out, now that we’re four weeks in? It’s going well, Poppenreiter says. Nearly 10,000 dates have taken place so far, or so she estimates: Ohlala hasn’t yet implemented a payment system, so there’s no way to confirm that a rendezvous took place. Of course, it’s also possible that the going is good while things are free, and that guys looking for short-term connections might be less willing once cold, hard cash and personal banking details are involved. This is important, too, since, unlike other dating services that charge users to even use the platform — say, with a subscription fee — Ohlala will charge per date. No dates, no profit.

Another reason Ohlala keeps having to dismiss any suggestion that it’s offering a way for men to meet women for paid sexual encounters is that we live in a world with so many free dating apps. Then there’s the seductive Ohlala name — oh, and that Poppenreiter already started an app very much for providing sexual services probably doesn’t help. There’s also the fact that prostitution is not legal in New York, and it wouldn’t be the first time the words “You’re only paying for my time; anything else that happens is between adults” were uttered. You only have to spend five minutes on Craigslist personal ads or Backpage to see this sort of code in action.

I asked Poppenreiter if Ohlala is simply an app-based approach to the same verbal code: offer a platform for “paid dating” and let users figure out the rest. Her response was the same one she’s maintained throughout the interview (and any other interview you’ll read). “How could I ever confirm if I don’t know what’s happening on a date?”

But, to some degree, Poppenreiter does know. At least when it comes to what has been discussed between dater and datee in the app, where Ohlala users state what they’re after and set expectations. To make sure Ohlala stays in good standing with the law, and to make sure there’s no other abuse (toward date providers, for example), Poppenreiter herself is monitoring those conversations — or at least when there’s cause for concern or when an issue is raised. No major issues have been flagged so far, though, she says.

The suggestion that people might use the app as a modern-day equivalent of personal ads seems to give Poppenreiter a moment of pause. Her next answer hints that she’s eager to dismiss it with a related example, but it’s one that surprises me. “I don’t know if you’ve ever spoken to Travis [Kalanick, co-founder of Uber]. I don’t know if he all the time gets the question ‘So what is it that is happening in this Uber? Is the customer charging his phone? Is he drinking water?’” The suggestion being that Uber and Ohlala are both just platforms where the user is buying time with a service provider, and what happens after that is a private matter. The possible flaw in that logic being that no one (we hope) ever booked a taxi hoping for a blowjob.

If not sex, then what? Or perhaps a better question: who? It takes Poppenreiter a few seconds to think; her answer remains ambiguous. “We don’t have this typical user … anyone could go on a paid date. We see that people know what they want, and that they have money and a mechanism to express what they’re looking for.” She adds: “I trust our users to be morally capable of judging for themselves if they want to do this. It’s happening, so it might as well be safer.” The it in this sentence — what, by implication, is sometimes unsafe — Poppenreiter doesn’t clarify.

The bigger mystery might actually be the women who want to offer their time. Poppenreiter admits that they’re finding the marketing of this aspect difficult. Perhaps the lingering doubt over what’s required is making some women apprehensive. Especially since the current lack of a payment mechanism brings with it an element of anonymity for the user (and, presumably, no income for the provider, unless they’re being paid in cash). A credit card number provides some level of authentication. Right now, that’s not present. “It could be a student looking for extra money. It could be anyone,” she offers.

There is a verification process in place, though, using phone numbers, a feedback system and, optionally, authenticating photos. Poppenreiter also makes the argument that this already is somewhat more secure than just meeting someone in a bar, where you might not even have someone’s last name (or, let’s be honest, their first name). So, once financial transactions are in place, she’s confident users and providers alike should enjoy the same level of security they’d have in any other online interaction.

But knowing who you’re meeting is only half of the security question; keeping your use of the app private is also a consideration. I asked Poppenreiter about this, referencing last year’s Ashley Madison fiasco. It turns out that this happened when Ohlala was in its early stages of development, so it’s a topic Poppenreiter and her co-founder, Torsten Stüber, took seriously from day one. What measures Ohlala has in place right now are unclear, but Poppenreiter makes the case that this is the same concern for any app that holds user data.

If you’re still not convinced that Ohlala is innocent in nature, it may surprise you to learn that no nudity is allowed in profile pictures. In fact, the service is almost as prudish as Instagram, with a no-nipple policy in place. (We’re unsure about the stance on eggplant emojis, though.)

The last question I ask is the simplest one: Could people use Ohlala for love? The instant answer is “No.” Then Poppenreiter elaborates: “We’re not — and never will say — we are the place where you should find the love of your life. But we’re saying you could have fun for a certain amount of time.” Then, right at the last minute, Poppenreiter gives a clue about what Ohlala is really about: stone-cold efficiency. “[The] money makes it reliable; there’s a commitment. I hated it back when I was on dating apps — I hated the inefficiency, and it’s not reliable. People would bail all the time. With us, you can be pretty sure that this date takes place.

How much does a reliable platonic date cost? Users determine their own budget, but obviously cheaper dates get fewer responses. Poppenreiter tells me that in Germany, the going rate is about €250 ($275) per hour. A lot of money for a date you can’t be sure will end happily.

Source: Ohlala

Here Maps stops supporting Windows devices

We hope you weren’t counting on Here Maps to provide directions on your Lumia. Here has announced that it’s dropping much of its support for Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile. The company is pulling its apps from Windows 10’s app store on March 29th, and a workaround that kept its apps running will stop working after June 30th. The Here apps for Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 will continue to work, but you won’t get more than “critical bug fixes” from now on.

Here says that it didn’t have much of a choice. If it wanted to continue supporting Windows 10 without that workaround, it had to rewrite its apps “from the ground up.” That’s a tough call when the entire Windows smartphone platform has just 1.1 percent of the market, if you believe estimates.

The move isn’t completely surprising. The German car manufacturers that bought Here don’t have the same incentive to support Windows that Nokia did, even after Microsoft acquired Nokia’s phone division. They’re interested in reaching the most people they can, and that means focusing on Android and iOS. This isn’t a fatal blow, since you can still use the built-in Maps app on Windows 10 to get at least some of the Here Maps experience. However, it’s not exactly comforting when one of Windows’ premier app developers backs out amid a trend of other developers (such as Bank of America and Pinterest) doing the same.

Via: The Verge

Source: Here 360

Fossil unveils 7 more wearables, including Android Wear watches

When Fossil teased plans to have over 100 wearable devices on store shelves this year, it wasn’t clowning around. On top of the abundance of devices it has unveiled so far, it’s announcing seven more today. Leading the pack are two Android Wear smartwatches, the multi-finished Q Wander (above) and the slightly tougher Q Marshal. Both are available with 44mm and 46mm circular cases, wireless charging and choices of strap and body styles. They sell at the same $275 starting price as last year’s Q Founder, so they might be viable choices if rivals like the Huawei Watch or Moto 360 aren’t your cup of tea.

The rest are considerably stealthier. The Smart Analog Movement series expands on the Q Grant line, matching a conventional watch look with activity tracking and automatic time zone updates. Pricing isn’t immediately available, but the Q Grant started at $175. The Q Motion activity trackers, meanwhile, give you a mix of activity tracking and basic call/text notifications in bracelet form for $95.

This wristwear is just a fraction of what you’ll see in the near future, too. Fossil notes that its 100-plus devices will include models from several brands, including Chaps, Diesel, Emporio Armani, Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Misfit and Skagen. In short, the company is determined to stay on top of the wearable trend — it doesn’t want any of its labels to be seen as behind the times.

Via: Mashable

Source: Fossil, PR Newswire

Google uses VR to put you inside a Bruegel painting

The Google Cultural institute has been working for half a decade to make the world’s art accessible to everyone (with an internet connection). It’s done a decent job of it so far, digitizing thousands of paintings and sculptures from hundreds of museums and galleries across the globe. More recently, it created a 360-degree video to put you inside the orchestra pit of New York’s Carnegie Hall. Building on that experiment, it’s now used a lot more creativity to produce a similar video for the Royal Museums of Fine Arts in Brussels, Belgium. A video that takes you inside Bruegel’s The Fall of the Rebel Angels.

Sorry, your browser doesn’t support HTML5 video.

Google describes the project as “an experiment to explore how modern technology can supercharge the museum experience.” Although anyone can view the 360-degree video on YouTube (it’s also available through the museum’s app), those visiting the exhibition will be in for a treat. There, they’ll find the “Bruegel Box,” a small room with wall-to-wall projections showing gigapixel renderings of three paintings. “Spectators walk in to find themselves literally in the picture, shoulder-to-shoulder with villagers, preachers and mystical creatures,” the Cultural Institute explains.

Interestingly, only one of the paintings projected in the box is physically on display at the museum; the other two are hosted in Berlin and Budapest. Google believes this highlights the power of technology to improve the museum experience for visitors. You can find The Fall of the Rebel Angels below. It’s best viewed with Google Cardboard and a compatible phone, but you can also watch it just fine on your laptop or tablet.

Source: Google

Here’s an early taste of the ‘System Shock’ remake

Two decades after its original release, System Shock is being remade. Night Dive Studios, the developer in charge of the project, released some pre-alpha footage, and it looks great.

If you’ve never played the original, it’s a hugely influential atmospheric first-person RPG in a sci-fi horror setting. A great game in its own right, it spawned a more successful (and arguably better) sequel, System Shock 2. Some of the minds behind the originals went on to create games you’ve almost certainly heard of. Ken Levine made BioShock, considered by many to be a spiritual successor, while Warren Spector made Deus Ex, which also leans heavily on the System Shock 2 formula.

Night Dive’s video describes the game as System Shock 1 Remastered, but it’s clear that this is more remake than remaster. The original artist is on board to help upgrade the original assets, and with that some of the level layout is changing. Speaking with Polygon, the developer explained that many people’s only exposure to the series is through BioShock, so it’s making some tweaks to cater to modern gamers’ tastes. That means the tone of the narrative is also set to shift, as is some of the gameplay. but the overall plot will remain.

System Shock is due for release in 2017. A bonafide sequel, System Shock 3, is also in the early stages of development, with Spector at the helm.

Source: Night Dive (YouTube)

Potential First Photo of iPhone 7 Plus Shows Dual-Lens Camera and Smart Connector

The first possible real photo of the iPhone 7 Plus has surfaced on Chinese website Bastille Post, providing a closer look at the design of the upcoming smartphone.

The most notable change is the inclusion of a much-rumored dual-lens camera with a protruding, pill-shaped enclosure, as opposed to two separate circular camera openings depicted in some online renderings.

Rumors are conflicting about whether the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, or both smartphones will have dual cameras, but it now appears that at least one model may not have a completely flush camera as originally expected.

The dual-lens camera is accompanied by a microphone and an LED flash, as seen on previous iPhones, while the antenna bands have been repositioned along the top and bottom edges of the smartphone as we first reported last month.

There are also three dots towards the bottom of the iPhone 7 Plus that appear to be for a Smart Connector, a new interface first introduced on the iPad Pro that can transmit both data and power at the same time for use with accessories. It is, however, unknown how a Smart Connector would be used on an iPhone.

Working from past experience and the design of the phone shown in the leaked photo, aftermarket iPhone modification company Feld & Volk is already preparing its own custom versions of the device and has created several renderings that give a higher quality view of what the new iPhone would look like assuming this design is accurate.

The renderings highlight the same features shown in the photo, including the dual-lens camera housed in a single oval-shaped protrusion and a Smart Connector near the bottom of the device’s rear.

Based on its research, Feld & Volk believes that both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus may include a dual-lens camera, contradicting several other claims that the camera will be unique to the larger iPhone 7 Plus. Feld & Volk also believes the iPhone 7 will measure approximately 6.1 mm thick (not including the camera protrusion), substantially thinner than the iPhone 6s and in line with the current iPod touch.

The overall look and feel of the iPhone 7 Plus chassis shown in today’s leaked photo is largely consistent with both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s lineups, including a unibody aluminum shell, pill-shaped volume buttons, a mute switch, and side-facing power button.

The photo does not reveal the bottom of the smartphone, but multiple reports claim the iPhone 7 series will drop the 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of an all-in-one Lightning connector for audio output, charging, and accessory connectivity.

The extra room on the bottom supports rumors that the iPhone 7 lineup could feature dual speakers powered by audio hardware from Cirrus Logic, although there appears to still be conflicting information on this feature. Stereo speakers route audio signals through two channels to simulate direction perception and would likely be louder.

Eric Slivka contributed to this report.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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