The latest reports from close to Apple indicate that iPhone 7 fans hoping for an increase in battery life will ultimately be disappointed. Murmurings from close to the Apple supply chain this week suggest that the forthcoming handset will stick with the existing battery-sapping displays that Apple already utilizes, as well as not featuring a significant increase in battery size.
Kuo moots no switch to OLED
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, something of a legend in Apple-following circles, suggested recently that he believes it is unlikely that Apple will switch from the liquid crystal displays it currently uses to AMOLED technology. There have been murmurings suggesting that Apple was considering altering the display technology included in the iPhone series, but Kuo believes that this would be impractical for Apple to incorporate in the iPhone 7.
This issue is extremely important for Apple, as OLED is noted as being a more efficient form of technology. It has already been strongly rumored that the iPhone 7 will be around 6mm thick, and this would seem to completely rule out the possibility of the battery in the device being increased. With an increased screen resolution also expected in the iPhone 7, AMOLED had been viewed as an enabler of this reality by many analysts, but it now seems likely that Apple will stick to its existing technology.
So is it possible for Apple to retain their battery-depleting displays, ensuring that the next iPhone 7 handset is slimmer, yet still manage to improve the battery life of the device? This certainly seems improbable, but this will be disappointing considering the fact that the battery life of the iPhone series has often been considered to be the least attractive aspect of the range.
iPhone 7c rumors
Forbes has also been waxing lyrical on the iPhone 7c this week. This is a rumored name for the forthcoming 4-inch iPhone 7, which is notable due to its relatively diminutive size. Forbes suggests that this will not be a smartphone powerhouse in a more compact package, but will instead be utilized as a sales mechanism. It is believed that the iPhone 7c will be used to promote the larger iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models to consumers.
Actually producing a high-performance device in a mere 4-inch package will prove to be extremely challenging for Apple, and Forbes’ Evan Spence suggest that this reality simply will not materialize. The writer suggests that the iPhone 7c will in fact offer relatively diminished performance compare it to its larger cousins.
And on the characteristics of the iPhone 7c, Spence ironically suggests that the more diminutive version of the iPhone 7 will feature a lesser battery capacity. This makes logical sense considering its smaller size, but this could be somewhat disappointing for fans of the Apple range, considering the fact that battery life continues to be a massive bugbear for the iPhone series.
The iPhone 7c is also likely to feature a reduced screen resolution in comparison to the larger devices in the series, as Apple attempts to produce an iPhone variant that is affordable. Whether this is achievable for the corporation remains to be seen, and indeed it will be interesting to note what resolution Apple ultimately opts for with the 4-inch iPhone 7 variant. Considering the smaller screen size of the iPhone 7c, even a resolution equal to the existing iPhone 6s could be attractive for consumers.
Spence believes that the ethos of the iPhone 7c will be based on Apple’s predilection for what he describes as “triples”. This concept centers around the idea of good, better and best, with the iPhone 7c thus likely to offer significantly reduced specifications in an attempt to significantly distinguish it from the other models in the series.
iPhone 7c to be “rubbish”!
Forbes’ Spence even went as far as describing the new iPhone 7 variant as “a bit rubbish” stating that production issues which Apple will face will ensure that the device is not really comparable to the mainstream iPhone devices.
On the other hand, not all sources agree with the Forbes article. The iPhone 5c actually sold rather well for Apple, with the consumer electronics giant having shifted 24 million units of the device since it was launched. This is significantly more than HTC, Sony or LG sold of their respective flagship devices in the same period, and considering this achievement the iPhone 5c can hardly be described as a failure.
One possible compromise that Apple could instigate in order to deliver a stronger performing iPhone 7c at an affordable price point is to include Apple’s current-gen A9 processor. This would still ensure that the iPhone 7c performed well, but would greatly reduces production costs in manufacturing the smartphone.
However, Know Your Mobile warns Apple consumers that the forthcoming 4-inch version of the iPhone range may not be as affordable as some consumers are anticipating. Indeed, the iPhone 5c was expected to be a cheap model of the iconic smartphone, but was in fact rather expensive compared to its rivals. It is generally considered that the iPhone 5c cannot be reasonably described as a budget device, and this may also be true of the iPhone 7c when it is released.
Another interesting aspect of the iPhone 7 will be the way that Apple chooses to collaborate with the Apple Watch. Apple is set to reinvent its smartwatch in 2016, and it hopes that the Apple Watch 2 will become a more mainstream device than its predecessor. In order to achieve this, it is likely that Apple will promote collaboration with the iPhone series in order to make the device more attractive to consumers.
Apple has enjoyed an almost relentless march of success in recent years, but the last few months have been a little more problematical. Sales of the iPhone 6s have not quite matched expectations, well the Apple Watch has been a lukewarm seller as well. 2016 will be a critical year for the Apple, with a next generation smartphone and reboot of the Apple Watch both imminent. Apple must hope it strikes the write notes with every major release over the next twelve months.
