Apple recently announced its new iOS 9 operating system, and the software has already seemingly given insight into the future of the iPhone 7 camera. With the iOS 9 beta release already available for developers to scrutinize, experts all over the world have been assessing this software extremely diligently. And developer Hamza Sood has uncovered a particular piece of code that gives a tantalizing insight into the way that cameras might operate in future iPhone handsets.
iPhone 7 rear-camera upgrades
The code in question suggests that the iOS 9 operating system can support iPhones with front-facing cameras capable of shooting 1080p video. The information in the software also indicates that the iPhone 7 is able to capture 720p video at 240 frames per second. Code uncovered by Sood also suggests that the front-facing iPhone 7 camera will be armed with a flash for the first time; a completely new feature for iPhone snappers.
At present, Apple has tended to reserve such capabilities for the more powerful rear-facing camera, which is typically utilized for capturing publishable photographs. However, with Apple keen to upgrade the functionality and specifications of the front-facing camera, it is clear that there will be something of a selfie battle between the major smartphone manufacturers in the next couple of years. Samsung has seemingly already signaled its intention to improve the front-facing camera in the Galaxy Note phablet range, and this decision by Apple can be viewed as a response to that rumor.
The code discovered in the beta version of iOS 9 indicates that specs will be included in either the iPhone 6s or iPhone and 7 which greatly outrank the existing iPhone range. At this time, it is not known whether this will be part of the iPhone series this year, or whether it instead will be delayed for the release of a revolutionary iPhone 7 in 2016.
iPhone 7 camera rumors
This latest piece of news about the iPhone camera is very much in line with gossip related to the flagship Apple device that has emerged previously. It seems based on the buzz related to the smartphone that improving the specifications of its camera will be a major focus of Apple. Although the iPhone has always performed fairly creditably in the photo taking department, the specs of the iPhone 6 camera are not particularly impressive compared to some of its competitors.
With this in mind, it has already been reported by sources close to the Apple supply chain that the consumer electronics giant is considering introducing a professional quality DSLR camera to the iPhone range in the foreseeable future. Apple has even been linked with a unique periscope design for the camera in the iPhone 7, as analysts and Apple observers tend to believe that the properties of the rear-facing camera in the iPhone 7 will be significantly upgraded.
Even a relatively modest iPhone 6s, which could be released during 2015, has been linked with significantly improved camera functionality. If we don see an iPhone handset branded 6s during 2015 then this can be considered very much an upgrade to the existing iPhone 6.
However, analysts and sources close to Apple have already leaked the idea that the iPhone 6s will include a 12-megapixel camera, which represents a 50 percent increase in megapixel quotient from the previous iPhone iteration. For example, Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities predicted recently that the next iPhone will come with a new 12-megapixel main camera.
Meanwhile, the video shooting capabilities included in iOS 9 don’t seem to be a baseless rumor, as Sood has posted screenshots online which hint at the features in question. Sood actually has an excellent record of discovering upcoming products in Apple code. Earlier this year, significantly before the Apple Watch became available, this talented developer published screenshots indicating how the Activity app in the smartwatch would look once it was released.
iPhone 7 cloud storage
Aside from the latest leaks about the iPhone camera, it has also been suggested this week that the iPhone 7 may deal with storage significantly differently to previous versions of the device. There are rumors circulating in recent days that Apple will retain the 16 GB storage option from the iPhone 6 an iPhone at 6 Plus, to the surprise of some analysts.
It had been asserted by many sources that Apple would ensure that the next generation iPhone featured a minimum storage capacity of 32 GB. But Apple is instead planning to retain the smaller storage option, and offer users of the iPhone series the opportunity to store large amounts of information in the cloud. This will be seen as an indicator of the direction of the entire mobile industry.
iPhone 7 battery stays the same
Although there is pressure on Apple to improve the battery life of the iPhone 7, statements emanating from top brass at the corporation have suggested that the Apple battery may not be significantly improved in the next handset. Although iOS 9 features power saving functionality, many Apple fans hope to see a larger battery in the iPhone 7 when it is released.
But Apple’s design head Jonathan Ive appears to have poured cold water on this prospect, by stating that Apple will not compromise its central focus on design aesthetics. A thicker, bulkier and more costly iPhone 7 is apparently a non-starter, so Apple will be relying on software improvements in order to enhance the battery life of the iPhone 7.
iPhone 7 branding and release date
The aforementioned KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo as also suggested recently that Apple will skip the iPhone 6s branding which many people have expected this year, and launch an iPhone 7 instead. This would suggest that some of the revolutionary features that have been linked with the iPhone range could emerge this year.
And it seems increasingly likely that this smartphone could launch in September. A leaked internal memo at the British telecom carrier Vodafone intended for internal staff has revealed the device release date to be September 25, with pre-orders available one week earlier.
