One of the persistent rumors about the forthcoming iPhone 7 is that Apple will remove the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. This suggestion has been doing the Apple-following media rounds for a while now, and it has seemed for a while as if this is a distinct possibility when the iPhone 7 is released.
iPhone 7 – Headphone jack controversy
This has hardly been a popular suggestion with fans of the iconic Apple smartphone range, and indeed a petition has already been produced beseeching Apple to retain this feature. Yet some diligent investigation of the iOS 9 operating system this week suggest that Apple will indeed follow through with this decision, despite the opinions of detractors.
A reference in Apple’s recently released iOS 9.3 beta software discovered by a major jailbreaker seems to relate directly to this persistent iPhone 7 rumor. Jailbreaker @kyoufujibaya has apparently located code within the iOS 9 system which suggests that the 3.5mm jack will indeed disappear for good once the iPhone 7 reaches the public domain.
Li-Fi coming
This name and may be familiar to many people who follow Apple and iPhone news on a regular basis, as @kyoufujibaya has already broken major Apple news previously. Just weeks ago, the hacker revealed that Apple is currently working on Li-Fi technology; a new wireless Internet standard that would greatly exceeded the speed that we experience today.
Indeed, it is suggested in some quarters that the iPhone 7 will be able to deliver 100 times faster Wi-Fi than existing connections thanks to this new revolutionary technology. Having said that, Apple has a track record for ensuring that it does not include technology in his products, and particularly its iconic smartphone series, until it is 100% certain that it has been perfected, not merely made adequate.
This tendency can also be applied to the headphone jack, even though it does appear that the days of the feature are numbered. If Apple was indeed intending to ditch the headphone jack with the iPhone 7, then why has this particular piece of code been included in iOS 9? Certainly the headphone jack remains in the current iPhone lineup, so its inclusion in the existing Apple operating system does not necessarily make sense.
Apple has applied for many patents that it has yet to put into operation, and this code could be a similar red herring. Apple may have included this code in iOS 9 with the intention of putting it into operation at an unspecified date in the future. It may be that we will still see the headphone jack feature in the iPhone 7 when it is released, but you must be said that the iOS 9 code must surely be a major indication that the feature’s days are numbered.
Beats AirPods
As Apple seemingly prepares to update the music-related capabilities of the iPhone series, it seems that there will be a massive focus on music when the iPhone 7 is released. A recent report from 9to5Mac suggests that Apple is currently working on a revolutionary pair of wireless Beats-branded earphones. It is thus suggested that this device will launch alongside the iPhone 7, although it is probable that Apple fans will need to shell out extra money in order to purchase the accessory.
Aside from being wireless, the earphones will also utilize active noise-cancelling technology. According to reports, it is also anticipated that this new product will encompass a carrying case, which additionally acts as a portable charging station. This certainly sounds like a very nifty product, and one that can begin to pay back the major acquisition of Beats made by Apple.
This seems to be a pretty solid rumor, and not merely because it would make commercial sense for the consumer electronics giant. In addition, Apple has recently copyrighted the term “AirPods”, and clearly has the intention of putting this technology into practice in the foreseeable future. When this is coupled with the news about the code in iOS 9, it does suggest that Apple is preparing to alter the way that headphones operate in its iPhone series.
iPad Pro-style speakers
As if this wasn’t enough to prove the music playing specifications of the iPhone 7, recent reports have also indicated that the smartphone could benefit from powerful new speakers. Apple has recently applied for a patent that suggests that the California-based corporation intends to significantly improve the output that is delivered by the iPhone 7 speakers.
With Apple expected to slim down the iPhone 7 significantly, it is expected that the speaker technology in the smartphone will require a more innovative audio solution. And the patent that Apple has filed describes how this could work in future iPhone smartphones.
“An audio element can be mounted on or coupled to an intermediate structure (for example, a flexible electrical substrate) having an opening therein to allow audio sound to pass there through. In another embodiment, an audio chamber can be formed to assist in directing audio sound between an opening an outer housing and a flexible electronic substrate to which the audio element is mounted or coupled thereto.”
Apple seemingly intends to utilize chambers that are built into the iPhone 7 in order to improve and amplify the sound produced by the unit. This seems like an extremely plausible prospect for the iPhone 7, not least because the Apple corporation has put this into practice previously. The same system is utilized within the iPad Pro tablet, and it seems that Apple will have the time and opportunity to include the system in its smartphone range in 2016.
In addition to these music-related features, it is possible that the iPhone 7 will also benefit from a significantly waterproof and dustproof design. New health-tracking features, a redesign of the visage of the smart phone, and the first advert quad HD iPhone are also anticipated when the iPhone 7 is released. It certainly looks as if this will be a powerful and exciting smartphone performer when it hits the stores in what is expected to be September.
