The iPhone 6 is here, but what will the iPhone 7 bring?
The hype surrounding the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus has barely died down, and already there are rumours of plans for the new iPhone 7 being in the works. Speculation is high as usual when it comes to the type of features which the new iPhone might offer, with one of the most popular rumours being that Apple are going to change the headphone jack, meaning that Apple users will have to pay extortionate prices simply to listen to audio on their smartphones. However, the latest – and more welcomed – rumour is that Apple are planning to follow in the footsteps of Sony and HTC with a waterproof body for the new handset.
Patent
Rumours in September suggested that the new iPhone 7 would come with a water-resistant coating, and new, more recent rumours seem to clarify this. Apparently, Apple has patented a new technology which seals off any open ports of the phone that are vulnerable to water or other liquids, blocking the liquids from entering the iPhone and causing internal damage. The system is rumoured to be called ‘Electronic Devices With Housing Port Shutters’ and includes moisture sensors which determine the presence of liquids in order to seal off the open ports until needed.
Water-Resistant Coating
Along with the new patent for the port-closing technology, Apple is also rumoured to have patented a process which coats iPhone components with a water-resistant material. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is known to have made some rather accurate predictions when it comes to Apple’s new products and technologies, and according to Kuo the iPhone 7 is set to not only be water-resistant but also have an A10 chip, 3GB ram and be no thicker than 6mm.
Earphone Jack Rumours
The rumour that didn’t impress Apple users quite as much was that Apple may well be changing the earphone jack size on the iPhone 7 in order to accommodate for the new thinner model. This will mean that regular, 1.3mm earphones won’t be compatible with the new handset, although this could provide a market for lightning to 1.3mm jack adapters. According to Japanese site Macotakara, Apple will provide earphones that are connected using a lighting connector, or users will have Bluetooth headphones which can connect remotely to the iPhone with no wiring needed.
When Is the Release Date Expected?
With all the new developments surrounding the new iPhone 7, experts say that if it’s true, we shouldn’t expect the new handset to roll out until at least September of 2017. Patents, new technologies and even new accessories are all underway for this model, so when the release does occur we can expect it to be a big one. In the meantime, rumour has it that a new iPhone 6C model release is set for early 2016, a model similar to the iPhone 5C but with more of the features of the 6 and 6S. As usual, the new iPhones will lock to the first network that they are used with, but can be easily unlocked over at unlockingsmart.co.uk.
What features do you hope to see in the iPhone 7? Let us know in the comments.
