After another massively successful year for Apple in 2014, the corporation is already readying its plans for the release of the iPhone 7 in 2015. But with this device nine months away, Apple itself has not released any information regarding this notable mobile product. However, there are numerous rumors, murmurings and purported leaks already circulating regarding the iPhone 7, so this article will look at some of the latest gossip related to this flagship Apple device.
OLED display
The latest rumor doing the rounds is that both of Apple’s next big releases, the Apple Watch and iPhone 7, will feature larger OLED displays. This rumor has emanated from MacX.cn, which gives credence to the murmurings given that it has a relatively good record with regard to leaked news on Apple products.
According to this latest theory, Apple has already made requests to the manufacturer Foxconn to provide this technology. Foxconn is, of course, extremely significant in the Apple supply chain, being one of the major companies of its type in East Asia, and previously having been tasked with producing Apple devices, along with other major consumer electronics from companies such as Sony.
This suggests that the iPhone 7 will have a larger display than the 4.7-inch screen included in the iPhone 6. Sources suggest that this could mean the iPhone 7 smartphone version is based around a 5-inch screen with 400ppi resolution, which will be a significant step forward for Apple, offering increased sharpness and clarity of image.
MacX.cn also suggested that the forthcoming Apple Watch will take advantage of this technology.
Curved screen
Curved screens are very much in vogue at the moment, and analysts are already suggesting that Apple will include this modish technology in the iPhone 7. This possibility seemed to become more real this week when patents applied for by Apple were revealed to include provisions for such technology.
Traditionally, Apple has attempted to set the trends in the smartphone market rather than following them, particularly with regard to the appearance of devices. Indeed, it is often considered that the design and build quality of Apple products is a fundamental part of its massive success story.
However, Samsung has created a significant amount of buzz with its range of curved televisions, and with the Korean company already producing curved mobile devices with more to follow in the future, Apple is evidently eyeing this as an option for itself.
Flexible display
Further patents which came to light this week suggest that Apple could well be planning to produce a flexible and foldable iPhone in the near future. Given that rumors persist regarding an iPhone 6s, which could possibly see a release early next year, then it is unclear whether this technology will be included in this earlier smartphone or just the iPhone 7.
Regardless of this, Apple’s Flexible Electronic Devices patent was granted on the 6th January 2015 by the US Patent and Trademark Office, and it will presumably form part of Apples portfolio of products sooner rather than later. Given that some of the negative publicity that the iPhone 6 generated was regard to its relative lack of durability, it seems pretty likely that the iPhone 7 will benefit from this purported technology.
Sapphire Glass
This was the rumor that never was with the iPhone 6, as Apple’s vast purchasing of this material seemed to make it a certainty for the current generation Apple smartphone range. But Apple ultimately didn’t make the switch to this substance that was predicted.
However, the corporation still seemingly has huge amounts of Sapphire Glass in storage, and it is obviously pretty much certain that it will utilize this stock sooner rather than later. This suggests that the iPhone 7 could be the recipient of this innovation, and indeed reports from Taiwan have indicated that the aforementioned Foxconn is rapidly building a new display factory purely for handling Apple’s iPhone orders. This could point to a radical redesigning of the iPhone build for the iPhone 7.
Camera
There have been a couple of rumors related to the iPhone 7 camera already. The first of these is that Apple will include a vastly improved lens in the iPhone 7, with some analysts even suggesting that it might go as high as 21-megapixels. This seems unlikely, but the company may double the spec from the iPhone 6 if possible, which would mean that the iPhone 7 would be armed with a 16-megapixel snapper.
The second rumor suggests that Apple may release a two-lens camera system for future iPhones, starting with the iPhone 7. This system has been suggested by analysts such as John Gruber, and it would potentially arm the iPhone series a photographic quality on a par with some digital SLR cameras. This is quite a claim, but if Apple is able to deliver anything remotely like this, it will certainly get tongues wagging.
Release date
Apple has traditionally launched its flagship iPhone devices around September and October time, with an earlier release having been favoured for recent models. It would be surprising if the corporation deviated from this with the iPhone 7, so we will most likely see it hit the stores in September 2015.
However, this coming generation of iPhones is somewhat complicated by the fact that rumors continue to persist about an iPhone 6s. Whether this will turn out to have any credibility is debatable, but should Apple decided to launch a smaller iPhone model as a collaborative device for the Apple Watch, then a March or April release seems the most likely.
Price
Analysts already believe that Apple will freeze the price of the iPhone 7 when it is released later this year. The reasoning for this is that the iPhone 6 was more expensive than previous versions, and even though sales were not only stable but actually outstanding, it is extremely doubtful that Apple can continue to increase the price of its flagship smartphone and maintain current sales levels. So expect a price freeze when the iPhone 7 is finally released.
