Apple iPhone 7 Release Date, Price and Specs – CNET

The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are about six months old. The “new” 4-inch iPhone, expected to be announced in March, will be (by all accounts) a 6S with a smaller screen and a smaller price tag. So now, just as Samsung’s impressive Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge are hitting stores, it’s time to think about iPhone 7.

To be clear: we have no hard info. But between assumptions and expectations, we can paint a fairly good portrait of the most intriguing gossip about Apple’s next big thing.

Editors’ note: This story was originally posted on December 14, 2015 and last updated on March 15, 2016 with a new video.

iPhone 7: Most-wanted features (pictures)
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Announcement and release dates

According to Apple’s traditional cadence, new iPhone models debut in the fall. The 6S and 6S Plus were unveiled on September 9 and hit store shelves on September 25, and we have every reason to expect the next major update to come around this same period in 2016.

Though no official invitations have been made yet, however, the company’s next big event is rumored to be scheduled for March 2016. Given that the Apple Watch would be coming up on its first birthday in April 2016, it’s likely that such an event would be focused on its successor. And while it’s possible we could also see a new iPhone early in 2016, that would more likely be the rumored iPhone SE/6C — an updated small iPhone to replace the aging iPhone 5S sitting at the bottom of Apple’s current lineup.

Might Apple release a colorful edition of the Apple 6 dubbed the 6C similar to the iPhone 5C from 2014?

Lukas Baxa

Design

For the past several years, Apple’s iPhone updates have followed a predictable cycle: major design changes in even-numbered years, followed by “under the hood” tech upgrades that keep the same basic physical chassis in odd-numbered “S phone” years. For 2016, then, a total redesign is a near certainty — possibly with some dramatic innovations.

Amid rumors that the company has developed multiple iPhone 7 prototypes, Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac reports that Apple is experimenting with three different handset designs including a “completely new, thinner look,” and a “backup” design that’s similar to the iPhone 6S. More recently, MacRumors has suggested that the iPhone 7 will have a design that’s “very similar” to that of the iPhone 6 and 6S, though without the antenna bands that run across the current generation. And we still expect the company to release two versions of the phone — ostensibly, a standard-sized, 4.7-inch iPhone 7 and larger 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.

Apple Patent Application Publication (US 2015/0357741 A1).

Given the regularity with which folks drop phones in toilets and other bodies of water, could Apple develop a water-resistant or waterproof chassis? (By the way, here’s what to do when it inevitably happens to you.) Other manufacturers have already gone there, of course: Samsung with the Galaxy S5, Sony with its Z5 Premium and Motorola with its entry-level Moto G. Still, the fact that Samsung did not make the Galaxy S6 waterproof suggests that it’s not a critical feature for most consumers.

That noted, Business Insider reports that Apple has filed for a new waterproofing-related patent. Titled “Electronic Device with Hidden Connector,” the application suggests that ports could be covered with a “self-healing elastomer.” According to the patent description, iPhone ports equipped with this technology would be covered with membranes, which could be penetrated by a headphone or USB connector, for example, and which would seal back up once the connector is withdrawn.

Building on this narrative, 9to5Mac has reported that Apple is developing a new set of Bluetooth earphones that could be introduced simultaneously with the iPhone 7. The fruit of the company’s acquisition of Beats Electronics, the new earphones, potentially called “AirPods,” are rumored to be completely wireless, similar to the Motorola Hint.

The Moto Hint.

Sarah Tew/CNET

One of the more interesting iPhone 7 predictions involves a move away from the physical home button. As CNET reported earlier, recent iPhone innovations — specifically the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch screen and increasing always-on hands-free functionality of Siri — have diminished the need for it, and that a buttonless iPhone would be a natural move for a company with such a strong preference for clean lines as well as simple design. That would also allow the large top and bottom bezels to shrink, effectively allowing Apple to squeeze a larger screen into the same size body. The trick, of course, would be keeping the all-important Touch ID fingerprint sensor somehow integrated into the device.

Note that the melodramatic iPhone 7 “leaked concept” video in circulation on social media has been flagged as a fake. The video shows a cleansuit-clad employee, ostensibly of Foxconn, one of Apple’s longtime suppliers, handling a home button-less iPhone 7 until, offscreen, someone shouts, “Hey!”. Nice try, folks.

Security

Apple engineers are said to be working on beefier security measures for the iPhone.

CNET

Though security hasn’t often been a major focus of the iPhone rumor mill, the vast majority of recent headlines in both major and fringe publications have involved Apple’s ongoing battle with the FBI over just that. The Financial Times reported that Apple is working on ways to encrypt data stored via its iCloud service, which could further frustrate law enforcement agencies in investigations. And according to the New York Times, Apple engineers are now working on new security measures to prevent iPhone-hacking.

One hopes that this development will bring security closer to the fore for both smartphone consumers and manufacturers. If nothing else, it’s an issue with all kinds of interesting ramifications for issues ranging from the iPhone’s user interface to its privacy settings.

Display

There is a particularly durable rumor about a sapphire display, which would offer a higher degree of scratch and shatter-resistance than the current models’ Gorilla Glass. In fact, the higher-end Apple Watch models have sapphire displays — as well as OLED technology that provides best-in-class black levels, contrast and colors on a growing assortment of smartphones (including the Samsung Galaxy S6).

Apple uses LED backlit LCD technology for the current iPhones’ Retina displays; though earlier reports predicted that Apple would switch to OLED displays in 2018, the rumored timeline has been moved to 2017. Either way, this would likely debut on whatever model succeeds the iPhone 7.

Connections

One of the most most widely speculated upon topics to date involves the connectivity standards the iPhone 7 will support. Rumor has it that Apple may potentially omit the 3.5mm headphone jack, a standard on every preceding iPhone, in favor of an all-in-one Lightning connector. This would accommodate a thinner chassis — perhaps shaving off as much as one millimeter. And there is fact to support this thesis: Philips showed off Lightning-only headphones earlier in 2015, though they apparently have yet to be released.

According to Barclays analysts, however, as reported by AppleInsider, the iPhone 7 will indeed omit a 3.5mm headphone jack. But, in its traditional place will be a second speaker, powered by an amp manufactured by Cirrus Logic. The analysts also countered recent rumors suggesting that the iPhone 7 would have dynamic noise cancellation, suggesting that it will use a digital codec instead.

How about swapping out Lightning for USB Type-C? Despite its growing ubiquity as the standard for other smartphones, tablets and PCs, it feels unlikely. Yes, Apple made USB-C the only connector in its 2015 MacBook revamp, but the company has elsewhere doubled-down on Lightning in the past year, adding it to new Mac accessories, Beats speakers, the iPad Pro’s Pencil accessory and the new iPhone Smart Battery Case.

Many Apple products continue to use Lightning even though USB Type-C is included on the newest MacBook.

The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus both come equipped with NFC to enable the contactless Apple Pay system. And yet Apple has yet to support the tap-to-pair capability of other NFC-enabled smartphones, which allow a user to tap a headphone or speaker to pair via Bluetooth. There was chatter about the possibility of enhanced NFC support in iOS 9, but it did not come to pass. Perhaps with the next generation.

Components

The iPhone 6S is a red-hot performer, showing off the improved speed of its new A9, 64-bit dual-core processor, enhanced Wi-Fi antennas and faster Touch ID sensor. And as each successive iPhone generation is expected to deliver improved speed, we expect to see an A10 chip powering the iPhone 7. Likewise, just as the 6S and 6S Plus got a bump in RAM from 1GB to 2GB, it’s not unreasonable to expect to see an iPhone 7 that comes equipped with 4GB of RAM.

Powering the device is a a proprietary 64-bit A9 chip processor that Apple says offers 70 percent computing performance (CPU) and 90 percent faster graphics performance (GPU).

Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET

In 2014, Apple doubled the top two tiers of the iPhone from 32GB and 64GB to 64GB and 128GB, but kept pricing the same. (The entry-level model remained at 16GB.) The company kept the same capacities for its 2015 line. Will it finally offer 32GB on the baseline model? Anything’s possible, but getting customers to pay up for the 64GB model may be too much of a profit incentive to give up.

Related to the waterproofing rumors summarized above, the Commercial Times (via DigiTimes), reports that the iPhone 7 will contain “new compound materials” that will help hide the antenna, which is currently housed in bands on the back of the phone.

According to multiple sources, including a CLSA Securities analyst, Intel will provide 30 to 40 percent of the iPhone 7’s modem supply — specifically, the Intel 7360 LTE, which supports 450 Mbps download and 100 Mbps upload speeds.

Another story that has surfaced involves the possibility of the iPhone 7 — or perhaps the subsequent generation — supporting wireless charging. One potential narrative has Apple narrowing connectivity to a single Lightning port, making it impossible to charge the phone and use wired headphones simultaneously. Hence: wireless charging. Mmmm…we’ll see.

Camera

Will a dual-lens camera module find its way in to the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus?

Apple.club.tw

Many sources reported that there would be a significant step up in quality with the iPhone 6S’s camera; a 10-megapixel camera and a two-lens DSLR-style camera were presented as two distinct possibilities. And though the 6S upped the standard iPhone’s game with a much improved front-facing camera, only the 6S Plus features optical image stability capabilities that deliver higher quality photos and video in low light environments. In mid-March 2016, Taiwanese site Apple.club.tw posted what it says are images of a dual-camera module that it says will be included on the iPhone 7 Plus.

There is also much buzz about the rear-facing camera. Several sites are reporting that the iPhone 7’s back camera will sit flush with the case, instead of protruding slightly as with the iPhone 6 and 6S. A report by KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo claims Apple may create a version of the iPhone 7 Plus with two rear-facing camera lenses to offer and combine wide-angle as well as telephoto shots.

The technology would potentially leverage Apple’s 2015 acquisition of Israeli technology company LinX Imaging, which has developed smaller sensors that can deliver DSLR-quality images with optical zoom and improved performance in darker environments. That noted, there are murmurs about Apple testing dual-lens technology from a number of Asian manufacturers. Though earlier rumors suggested that these higher-end features could appear on the standard iPhone 7 model, MacRumors has reported that only the 7 Plus will come equipped with this dual camera array.

Scroll down for a reverse-chronological look at the latest rumors.

March 14, 2016

Photo leak: iPhone 7 Plus dual camera lens

Taiwanese site Apple.club.tw has published photos of a double-lens camera that the site says will be featured on the iPhone 7 Plus.

March 4, 2016

Intel to Make ‘Significant Portion’ of the iPhone 7’s LTE Modems

Apple’s next flagship smartphone will reportedly have some components manufactured by Intel.

March 3, 2016

Apple Planning to Debut OLED iPhone in 2017

Next year may see Apple switch its iPhone display from LCD to OLED, a move that would offer consumers several benefits, according to news site Nikkei.

February 25, 2016

Apple to beef up customers’ iCloud encryption

Apple is working on new ways to strengthen the encryption of customers’ iCloud backups in a way that would make it impossible for the company to comply with valid requests for data from law enforcement.

February 24, 2016

Apple said to be working on unhackable iPhone

Stronger encryption might be aimed at heading off the next battle with the US government over gaining access to iPhones.

February 16, 2016

iPhone 7 Said to Expand Use of Single-Chip Electromagnetic Shielding

Apple is working on electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding that will help maintain performance as its power, complexity, and potential for interference increases.

February 12, 2016

iPhone 7 might add second speaker

Apple’s next-generation iPhone, expected to abandon a 3.5mm headphone jack, will probably replace the part with a second speaker, according to a Barclays research memo obtained by AppleInsider.

February 4, 2016

iPhone 7 rumors point to a flush rear camera and cleaner all-metal look

New rumors suggest that the new iPhone 7 will closely resemble the iPhone 6 and 6s.

February 3, 2016

Sony’s Dual Camera to See Inclusion in Devices From ‘Major Smartphone Players’

Sony, the manufacturer behind many of the camera sensors used in Apple’s iOS devices, recently confirmed that its dual-lens camera platform will be featured in devices from “major smartphone players” in 2016.

January 29, 2016

Apple’s working on long-range wireless charging for the iPhone (Apple Byte podcast)

The iPhone 7 could bring a new dual-lens camera.

January 28, 2016

The iPhone 7 Plus looks to bring a dual lens camera

A report claims there are two 5.5 inch versions of iPhone 7 Plus — one with a single eye sight camera and another with a dual camera design.

January 27, 2016

iPhone 7 Plus may beckon with two rear-facing cameras

Apple’s next iPhone needs killer features to revive consumer demand. A dual-camera system could be what catches your eye.

January 14, 2016

Apple looks to bring wireless ‘Air Buds’ to the iPhone 7

An iPhone 7 without a headphone jack looks more real, Apple Watch 2 rumors and the iOS 9.3 beta is legit.

January 8, 2016

Hey, Apple, leave that jack alone

The iPhone 7 may be missing a 3.5mm headphone jack when Apple releases the phone this year. A new petition begs the electronics giant not to switch to a Lightning jack.

January 5, 2016

Would it be a mistake for Apple to remove the headphone jack on the iPhone 7?

Rumors continue to percolate that Apple will drop the 3.5mm headphone jack in its next iPhone to help slim down the device. But is it a good idea?

December 29, 2015

Catcher to see strong 2016, says paper

The upcoming new iPhone products are rumored to be waterproof and use new compound materials to hide the antenna.

December 10, 2015

Apple has an idea for ‘self-healing’ technology that could make the next iPhone waterproof

Apple has thought of a novel way to help waterproof devices: Covering ports in self-healing seals.

December 8, 2015

iPhone 7: Most-wanted features

With the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus in the rear-view mirror now, it’s time to look ahead and put in our upgrade requests for the next iPhone.

December 3, 2015

Is the iPhone 7 getting rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack?

A report claims Apple will make Lightning its do-everything port for a slimmer iPhone 7.