As excitement builds before the impending launch of the Apple iPhone 7, the first video showing a fully functional handset has appeared online.
Chinese repair shop GeekBar posted a few photos of a powered on iPhone 7 a few days ago, and has now released a short video that shows the camera in action.
Blurry video shows iPhone 7 in action
Whoever recorded the video can be seen moving the iPhone 7 over his MacBook and other objects on his desk. By the looks of things the handset is using SwitchBoard, Apple’s internal testing software, rather than a version of iOS.
While the video lasts for 25 seconds, it is incredibly blurry. As a result you can’t really see how good the camera is, even though Apple has supposedly made such major improvements.
The video does confirm that previous leaked photos were likely the final design that we will see in stores. It looks as though the headphone jack has been done away with, and the antenna bands have been repositioned.
When will iPhone 7 launch?
Other expected changes include a larger rear-facing iSight camera. Rumors have raised the possibility that the Home button would now be flush with the rest of the body and feature touch sensitivity, but it is impossible to tell if this is true from the video.
According to renowned leaker Evan Blass, pre-orders for the iPhone 7 could begin Friday September 9 ahead of retail availability on September 16.
The new Apple handset will face some stiff competition in the high-end smartphone market. On August 2 Samsung introduced its Galaxy Note 7 phablet to the world, and at first look it is an impressive piece of kit.
Samsung recently replaced Apple as the biggest selling smartphone manufacturer in the U.S. market, and the Galaxy Note 7 will provide a serious rival to the iPhone 7. Leaks related to the new Apple smartphone have raised concerns that the company is not going to introduce any major innovations to the iPhone 7.
Excitement already building over 2017 iPhone
While the company looks set to get rid of the headphone jack and introduce a larger camera module, this may not be enough to entice owners of the existing iPhone 6s to make an upgrade. Some investors are concerned about possible slow sales as consumers wait to see what Apple will do with the 2017 edition of the iPhone.
Some commentators have speculated that the company will skip to the iPhone 8 in 2017, bringing a raft of innovative features to market. It is widely expected that Apple will make the switch to OLED display units, while an improved camera unit is also thought to be in the works.
Apple may also do away with the home button and use enhanced haptic feedback instead. Some fans are looking forward to the iPhone 8 already, rather than pinning any great hopes on the iPhone 7.
However it is important to note that the arrival of the 2017 iPhone is a long way away. In the more immediate future we will see just how Apple plans to drive sales of the iPhone 7, and how the company fares in its ongoing battle with Samsung.
Another potential rival is also set to come to market soon in the shape of the LG V20. The Korean tech company has announced that its new flagship handset will be the first in the world to run Android Nougat 7.0 out of the box, and it could provide an interesting alternative to the iPhone 7.