The iPhone7 Is Coming – And News Leaks Are Suggesting A Big Change
It’s almost as much fun speculating about upcoming versions of iconic technology as it is to finally get your hands on it. And speculation, leaks and alleged "insider information" about the iPhone7 is really picking up in advance of the smartphone’s expected September release.
One nugget that seems to be based in reality involves a major change to the iPhone’s architecture which might take a little getting used to: the home button may be replaced.
Image credits: http://europe.newsweek.com/iphone-7-will-be-thinner-and-sound-better-leaks-suggest-432397?rm=eu
If you can afford it – trust us, it’s worth it. If you can’t, hang in there; prices are bound to come down and the experience of seeing a 4K film projected on a huge screen is definitely worth the wait.
There’s No Place Like Home
Don’t panic; there will still be a “home button” of sorts. However, reports from two reputable news sites, 9to5Mac and Business Insider, indicate that it won’t be the button we’re all so familiar with. Instead, the iPhone7 will supposedly see the home button replaced with a touch-surface that is level with the face of the phone, similar to the one on the HTC 10. Since people are so used to clicking the button, though, Apple will reportedly add “haptic feedback” to the iPhone7 – that slight vibration already used on the Macbook’s Force Touch touchpad and many Android phones, which lets you know that your command has successfully been entered and accepted.
Many believe that replacing the home button with a touch surface is just an intermediate step toward eliminating the button entirely on the iPhone8 and using fingerprint sensors to trigger displays.
The Rumor Mill
The home button news is the only report on iPhone7 changes that seems to be sourced and reliable. There are lots of other rumors out there as well, though, and some are more believable than others.
Image credits: http://n4bb.com/iphone-7-rumors-to-offer-better-charging-speeds/
Some of the unsubstantiated stories involve the home button; it’s been claimed that the new iPhone will support app shortcuts which can be called simply by taps or other interactions with the "button," and there’s even a rumor that you’ll be able to summon Siri with a simple tap of the new home surface.
Many other "insider reports" come from photos released on Chinese websites, which might be real, might be photoshopped, or might simply be different prototypes released for testing. One Chinese report indicates that versions of the iPhone7 currently being tested include models with dual cameras, ones with a USB Type-C connector, and phones with wireless charging and fingerprint recognition capabilities.
Image credits: http://www.idownloadblog.com/2015/11/27/iphone-7-no-headphone-port/
There are also numerous reports, including one from the Wall Street Journal, that the new iPhone will come without a headphone jack in order to reduce the smartphone’s weight and make it more water-resistant. That’s backed up by photos leaked on a French tech site which shows a casing without the normal headphone jack; however, it would apparently be replaced by a smart connector on the back of the phone, similar to the one on the iPad Pro.
Still up for more rumors? A number of sites have published reports that the iPhone7 will have waterproof components and may be completely waterproof and dustproof; a supposed mockup of a case for the phone shows space for four speakers; and several supposedly-authentic leaked photos show the dual cameras we mentioned earlier.
What will be on the iPhone7? Your guess is as good as ours, but we expect that the home button change will be real. Otherwise, we’ll simply enjoy all of the speculation over the next few months – while looking forward to getting our hands on the real thing.
