The ink is barely dry on the initial sales figures for the iPhone 6, and already the Internet is awash with rumors related to its successor. There is no doubt that we will see an iPhone 7 at some point during 2015, and already speculation is rife regarding what we can expect from Apple Inc. NASDAQ:AAPL’s next flagship smartphone.
The first question related to this mobile is indeed whether it will actually be called the iPhone 7. Apple has previously released the iPhone 5s & 5c between the fifth and sixth generations of the iPhone series, and other previous releases include the iPhone 4s and the iPhone 3gs. So it is possible we could see an iPhone 6s.
Conversely, Apple has veered away from its traditional strategies in the last year or so, releasing a phablet for the first time and also accompanying the 5s with the 5c model which was seen as more of a budget device. So the name is very much up in the air at this stage, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple decided to call the new smartphone the iPhone 7.
The Release date
A lot of speculation surrounding the release date of the iPhone 6 was due to the fact that Apple was facing significant competition from Samsung, and also had suffered the ignominy of its share price tumbling in early 2014. This should not be the case with the iPhone 7, given the extremely strong position that Apple is in now, and therefore a September, 2015 release for the iPhone 7 seems quite probable.
New iPhone’s Design
The iPhone 6 was a significant evolution from its iPhone 5s predecessor, with Apple opting to debut a brand new design for the iPhone which created a strong impression with critics and consumers. Additionally, the iPhone 6 Plus was by far the largest mobile phone that Apple has produced so far; thus this was a significant departure from previous models.
It seems in light of this that Apple will probably be a little more conservative with the iPhone 7. Apart from anything else, there is no impending need for them to gamble in the mobile marketplace. Additionally, it is traditional with Apple’s ’S’ models for the design to be close to identical to previous iPhones, so this trend is quite likely to continue with the iPhone 7.
iPhone 7 Specs
It’s early days for even Apple to be considering the specs of the iPhone 7 too closely, especially given the fact that technology naturally matures over a period of time. With 10-11 months until the likely release date of the iPhone 7, it is a little difficult to predict exactly what will make up its portfolio of features and specifications.
However, the time gap involved does suggest that the phone will have a new A9 processor joined by an M9 co-processor, both of which are probably under development as we speak. Apple will also have been pleased with the positive response to its iPhone 6 camera, and it could look to significantly improve the snapper in the iPhone 7 once more.
One area that will be of particular concern to Apple is the battery life of the iPhone 7. This was a significant focus of the iPhone 6, yet despite Apple’s best attempts to improve the battery life in its flagship smartphone, many have still grumbled that the iPhone 6 is a little greedy when it comes to power. This needs rectifying in the iPhone 7.
Also, with other smartphone manufacturers producing some very high-quality screens, the pressure will be on Apple to ramp up the resolution of the iPhone 7 display.
Sidewall display
But there are other more radical suggestions related to iPhone 7 functionality as well. One of which emanates from an Apple patent that was published last year. This particular document describes “sidewall displays”, which are presumed to be similar to those found in the Galaxy Note Edge.
The patent suggests that in the future iPhones will be fitted with a display which extends onto the sides of the device, that will provide interactive or touch sensitive features. Whether it is too early for this to be included in the iPhone 7 remains to be seen, but clearly based on this leaked documentation it is a distinct possibility.
3D
Another rather outlandish rumour is that the iPhone 7 will incorporate a three-dimensional display which will not even require glasses to view. This has been a holy grail of the movie industry for quite some time, but it seems pretty unlikely that this will be included in the iPhone 7, despite the fact that it has been reported on by the Taiwanese media website Economic Daily News.
TouchID display
More likely is the suggestion that the TouchID fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 7, which is currently situated beneath the home button, could instead be built into the entire display, which would completely eliminate the need for such a button. The iPhone 7 could then feature a larger display without increasing the size of the phone itself.
Reversible USB charger
Another rumor regarding the iPhone 7 is that it will come replete with a new iPhone charger, featuring a Lightning connector on one end and a new reversible USB connector on the other. Videos of such technology already exists on YouTube, and that this could be an interesting innovation that Apple may consider.
Apple Watch
Finally, one racing certainty is that the iPhone 7 will collaborate with the Apple Watch, which will have been released for some time when the iPhone 7 hits the stores.
