Speculation surrounding the upcoming Apple iPhone 7 has hit fever pitch as we approach an official announcement on the smartphone.
Apple recently confirmed that the iPhone 7 will be announced at a dedicated event on September 7. We are now into the final stretch for analysts and journalists to make their last predictions before we find out exactly what the iPhone 7 will be like. According to a report in Japanese publication Mac Otakara, there will be five colorways available, with one of them being “Gloss Black.”
New colorway apparently coming to iPhone 7
This is the latest in a number of leaks that we have seen with increasing regularity in the past few months. This visual leak appears to show that the iPhone 7 will be available with a new shiny black exterior. This sort of colorway was previously seen on the Mac Pro that came to market in 2013.
Up to this point the majority of speculation has dealt with the technical specifications of the new Apple handset, as well as design issues. The consensus at this point is that Apple will retain the exterior design used in the iPhone 6s, while bringing technical improvements.
Other rumors have suggested that Apple will attempt to bring in new customers by adding a new finish to the range. Existing colorways include Space Gray, Rose Gold, Silver and Gold, and the new “Gloss Black” will apparently be added to the range.
Gloss Black added to Apple color range
It was previously suggested that Apple may do away with Space Gray in favor of an almost black finish like the one seen on the Apple Watch. However the leak claims that the new finish will be introduced in addition to Space Gray, rather than as its replacement.
It must be hoped that the new finish has nothing in common with the plastic rear that was used on the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS.
Other rumors relate to the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone jack, which has caused some controversy online. If Apple does take away the audio connector, it would be able to make thinner smartphones. However some users are up in arms about the potential need to buy clumsy adapters or invest in new accessories. It is possible that Apple would use the Lightning connector to listen to music, or perhaps Bluetooth technology could be used with wireless earbuds.
Audio jack rumors cause controversy online
However this possibility has been criticized by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, who claims that existing Bluetooth technology is incapable of providing good enough sound quality. He says that he wants to continue using his existing audio accessories, a view that has been echoed by many commentators online.
In terms of internal specifications it appears that the new iPhone 7 will be powered by a new A10 CPU and an M10 motion co-processor. There have also been persistent rumors about the camera modules that will be used on the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
It looks likely that Apple will employ a larger sensor on the iPhone 7 camera, while the iPhone 7 Plus will feature a dual-lens camera system. This could be one way of encouraging people to invest in the larger handset.
September 7 an important date for Apple fans
The iPhone 7 is set to compete with rivals such as the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and the LG V20 in the high-end smartphone market. So far analysts have made lukewarm predictions for the iPhone 7, with many already turning their thoughts to the 2017 iPhone 8.
At the same time Apple is expected to make announcements on other products at the September 7 event, which will take place at 10 am Pacific Time at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. It is thought that there will be announcements on the Apple Watch 2.
Some commentators are predicting that the Apple Watch 2 will bring extra features such as GPS to the table. However others believe that Apple will concentrate on fine-tuning the device rather than bringing any major new features to the market. This would fit with the company strategy after the introduction of the iPhone and the iPad.
Rumor has it that there will also be information on the launch dates of iOS 10, macOS Sierra, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10 over the coming weeks. It is shaping up to be an interesting few months for fans of Apple, as well as investors in the company. In addition to new products, the company also has to deal with a ruling on its tax affairs from the European anti-trust body.
