As I write this, 22 days remain until Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 7 on September 7. While rumors have been circling for months about how the handset’s design is not going to change much, this has not prevented wide-eyed designers from all over the world from creating concept designs of what they think/hope the iPhone 7 will look like.
The best iPhone 7 concepts
Here’s a selection of iPhone 7 concepts from around the Internet. Each offers a different opinion derived from how its designer believes the handset should look. With each, I will attempt to break down what I see and explain what motivated him/her.
iPhone 7 with Galaxy Edge features
At the beginning of 2016, YouTuber ConceptsiPhone imagined that the iPhone 7 would take on some characteristics of the Samsung Galaxy Edge handsets. While I don’t agree that Apple will go down this route, with its next handset, the integration of a side display would give more room for apps.
Liquid metal iPhone 7
There have been some rumors about the iPhone 7 being constructed using liquid metal (Not like the Terminator). While this sounds like something straight out of science fiction, apparently the material is very real and is said to be more durable than aluminium. The above image shows how Ukranian designer Herman Haidin imagines what the materials of the iPhone 7 will be.
iPhone 7 concept trailer
The video above is yet another concept design by Arthur Reis/ConceptsiPhone, and while the handset does look much thinner than its predecessors, it does have an iPhone 6s look about it. Maybe with this concept, he decided to go with something more in line with rumors that have been doing the rounds for months now.
However, he has envisioned that Apple will include water resistance and wireless charging with the iPhone 7, which, if correct, would be great news.
Ultra-thin iPhone 7
In this next image, you can see that designer Sahanan Yogarasa wants Apple to deliver the iPhone 7 with a design that is more futuristic looking — something that could be sub-7mm in thickness. My only concern with this design would be that Apple’s Tim Cook has already made it clear that he does not consider battery life to be a major concern and as such, something this thin could be unpractical.
Edge-to-edge display
Could Apple be about to remove the physical Home button? Designer Marek Weidlich seems to think so. It also looks like the iPhone 7 in the above image has an edge-to-edge display. Personally, I think this will more than likely feature on 2017’s iPhone 8.
All-metal frame
Jan-Willem Reusink’s iPhone 7 concept design shows off a very crisp-looking black handset with an all-metal frame and sharp edges. While it looks gorgeous, I doubt anyone who owns one with an all-metal body would be able to receive a radio signal, which could prove rather problematic.
