It has begun. The first images of purported iPhone 7 case leaks have started to appear online today. If true, the new iPhone will look very similar to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6 with curved corners and a flat back. Notably, this case does not include a hole for a 3.5 mm headphone jack — reinforcing rumors that Apple will drop it in favor of Bluetooth or Lightning headphones.
On the bottom of the phone, it appears to feature only a Lightning port surrounded by two equal-width speaker grilles, which could mean the phone will include some kind of stereo sound output. Aside from the lack of a headphone port, it’s hard to see any other major differences from the case leak. More images after the break, via @OnLeaks …
It would generally be expected that the iPhone 7 feature more significant design changes, as is usual with Apple’s tick-tock cycle. Unfortunately, this case does not help paint a better picture than ‘iPhone 6s with no headphone jack’. Questions about thinness also cannot be answered, as there are no written dimensions.
Previous iPhone 7 rumors have indicated that it will largely maintain the existing chassis style, perhaps slightly slimmer in profile. The horizontal antenna lines on the back of the phone have been reportedly removed for iPhone 7, although this kind of information simply cannot be corroborated by a case leak by its very nature.
The hole for the rear camera may appear enlarged, but it’s unlikely to point to a dual camera feature for iPhone 7 on its own. That opening in the case has to be big enough for the camera and LED flash. This is also a case for the 4.7 inch iPhone — some rumors had indicated that the dual-camera feature would be exclusive to the 5.5 inch ‘iPhone 7 Pro’ model only. It has also been suggested that the iPhone 7 rear camera will be flush with the body, not protruding like current iPhone generation. Again, the openings in this purported case does not really indicate either way.
As always, Chinese case leaks need to be approached with some skepticism. It’s still many months off from when the iPhone 7 goes into production, so there’s a considerable chance that the final phone will look very different to these early leaks from anonymous case manufacturers. Still, case leaks have been reasonably accurate in the past and they are generally close enough to be worthy of discussion.
This is not supposed to be 100% accurate but it's better than nothing, I guess… #iPhone6s vs #iPhone7 Case pic.twitter.com/GQEAg1tLKN
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) March 9, 2016
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No redesign ?
Do you want the media to loose their shit. Because that’s how you get the media to loose their shit
The way to loose shit is through use of laxatives…
They are probably saving the redesign for next year when the iPhone turns 10.
No thinner bezels? Thats fine. Didn’t feel like upgrading for the next two years anyways. More money in my pocket. Oh and more jailbreak. ;)
I’m DEFINATELY not one who is waiting for thinner bezels. I just want a better looking case. iPhone 5 and 4 designs were significantly more attractive than the 6
(Not that I think the 6 is ugly) it’s just not as elegant
I don’t want thinner bezels, especially not on the sides – holding the phone requires some grip around, and I don’t want this to accidentally translate to touching it. Also, the bezels mean better case designs, for those who use them, as they are more sturdy when they slightly wrap around the edges.
Yeah, no “upgrade” for me either. Looks like this will be the only new generation of iPhone I’ll skip. Who knows, if the 8 isn’t any better I may well end up going Android, where innovation in design is alive and well. I’m getting really sick of Ive’s designs, which are almost all rounded, featureless metal rectangles now. And to think he’s the guy who created the original iMac.
I’m gonna have to say it: anyone that doesn’t want thinner bezels isn’t intelligent.
To slaughtered the side bezel worry: they have had software in the iPad’s which rejects thumbs resting on the display for something like 4 years. The front of the phone will be taken back to square edge and the screen will go edge to edge. I mean do you people actually think an iPhone in 2025 will have side bezels or anywhere near the size of the top and bottom bezels? Really?
I certainly hope Apple isn’t designing things to please the media.
I agree, no re-dseign just shows complete lack of creative will at Apple. FBI case and factory suicides and not paying taxes, how Apple falls from grace…..
Android fanboy much?
@spiritflare, I’ve never owned an Android phone in my life. I also don’t intend to. Went from a Nokia 9210i to iPhone 5 and stayed with Apple since. They make wonderful hardware & software, but sometimes terrible ethics. You know, its perfectly OK to enjoy Apple products but also be critical at the same time.
I don’t use wired headphones so I could care less that Apple replaced it with a second speaker. What I don’t care for is the similar design language. 2 years max but not 3 (or in the case of S models 4). This was exactly the reason why no one bought the HTC M9 on the Android side. There’s only so many times you can milk a look when it comes to phones.
See my comment below. It’s no different to the 4, 4s, 5 and 5s all following the same design language. It really is a 4 year cycle disguised as 2.
Awesome. It may sound bizar but I will am very hampy to see the Jack port got the boot. I hate it when things are part of sich an awesome product that almost nobody uses anymore. I got many friends who say they never use the jack port. And if they do want cabled audio for better sound quality, there’s the lightning port.
Now let us hope Apple soon gets rid of the sim card and home button (Touch ID embedded in display)
I think that’s the longer term plan. By having fewer ports, trays and openings, it becomes easier to make it waterproof, and even use it underwater. Consider inductive charging as the last option, and you’ll have a completely portless (but connected) iPhone.
Nobody uses anymore? You’re either a troll or simply deluded. How else would you use headphones? Bluetooth headphones are expensive, rare, and sound absolutely terrible. Plus they’re essentially incompatible with video and gaming as they’re wildly out of sync. They’re junk.
Anyone who has even the slightest interest in sound will always, I repeat, ALWAYS choose wired.
Bluetooth headphones are not that expensive anymore and there is a quite of a selection now. I use bluetooth earbuds when cycling or working out and have a bluetooth headphone that turns into a wired one if plug an audio cable in it. With bluetooth you’ll always loose quality, that’s a fact, so it’s not a replacement to wired but it does have its applications.
Removing the audio jack is nuts though, it’s nuts if I’m forced to use an adapter or buy a lightning cable headphone. The 6s is will probably be my last iPhone.
I maybe exaggerated a little bit but I notice fewer and fewer people are using it. And as I said before, there’s is still the oightning port btw, which offers better audio quality too.
Bluetooth means you end up with another device you have to remember to charge — and considering they last about 4 hours, this isnt great.
Bluetooth headphones also dont have great quality sound – even the more expensive ones are so-so…
wired maybe old school and limits what your headphones can do – but for most people headphones are used for listening to music and sometimes they use the mic when calling — it is a port that is highly usable by a lot of people…
Lightning is owned by apple and they have licensing fees — this is why usb-C cables are cheaper than lightning cables, even though lightning has been out for several years now. — therefore, lightning headphones will always cost more… and considering iphone isnt actually capable of hi-res audio, you are spending a lot of money for slightly improved sound quality for regular sound output…
Bluetooth headphones are also expensive compared to regular headphones — yes you have no wires, but you have limitation.
until they can give all day battery life with boost sound quality on bluetooth headphones, they will always be a poor choice for anyone who actually has good hearing and appreciates quality sound…
Being forced to use lightning limits me heavily because i will end up with one headphone set that i can only use for iphone and ipads — i wont even be able to use it on my mac — well… apple will probably provide a $30-$50 adaptor…
Removing old tech should be to push new tech forward — not limit people to your own tech to make more money…
Look, the iPhone 4 and 4s were the same, and the 5 and 5s were similar to the 4 and 4s (replacing the full glass back with smaller windows top and bottom). So I was expecting this to happen, where the 7 is similar to the 6 and 6s (removing the bands across the back, but keeping the ones around the top and bottom). Also, there was a major port change from the 4 to the 5, same as their will be one from 6 to the 7 (losing the audio jack). Apple’s working on a systematic pattern, there are no surprises here.
or there’s the fact that it’s only one case that has been leaked so far and the jack could still be there, what’s stopping you from plugging a jack in there if the option is still available? They could have just merged the mic/speaker port with the jack port gap.
So can someone explain how specs are actually “leaked” so that cases are prepared months in advance?
To those who don’t want thinner bezels. You must either have gigantor hands or not so big brain. ‘Gigantic cotton candy’ size bezels of the top and bottom are the ones that need to be drastically reduce for any type of proper normal real world one hand use. I use TWO count them 2 spigen style rings for my gigantor forehead and chin iphone 6s+ because my carpal tunnel does not allow me certain courtesy the rest enjoy. Yet still why should we put with such neglect and abuse for another 2 year cycle? Also knowing you are all a bunch of aholes. Go eff yourselves. :3
Great comment. Apple is too smart to reduce bezels, they know that a second speaker directly beside the other is more betterer.
It’s March, this is a bit of a punt based solely on rumours as usual, nothing to freak out about 😊
I am sure there’s gonna be four iPhone models at a time, I meen, a 4″, a 4.7″, a 5.5″ and I am sure a 5.8″ or Pro. I remind that I always thought that natural sizes are 4″, 5″, 6″ and 7″ inches diagonal screen size.
The amount that this comment doesn’t make any sense is amazing.
“To be sure” is not an affirmation it is a supposition. Amazing is the lack of understanding or knowledge of anonymous people.
A little disappointing, I was hoping for a more radical and interesting redesign than this. It’s an iPhone 6 SE of sorts, more than a 7.
Hmm.. so they’re taking the ugliest and least comfortable to hold iPhone ever made, removing something vital to daily use (headphone jack) and using the space for something pointlessness (an extra speaker).
Winning formula right there. That’s going to go down really well.
Now I agree with you 100% on the inclusion of the second speaker, if that actually happens. I think the headphone jack should go for the ample space that could be used for much better features, but I never for even a second considered a second speaker, because I’m intelligent, and apparently the group of people Apple sits down in rooms to decide on the next iPhone features are some of the stupidest people alive. A second speaker is absolutely worthless. It’s honestly hilarious because the BEST and ONLY reason there would be to add that second speaker directly beside the other one, is to make the case symmetrical.
I think they should switch to USB_C for the headphone port. No matter how expensive of headphones you are plugging into your iPhone you are getting around CD quality sound. Yes, the materials used in the headphones can make thee sound say much better or worse, but it is still analog.
USB-C can have DAC and would make it easy for any manufacture to make headphones. Lightning headphones would suck sole because Apple’s MFI program. Apple’s draconian control of parts for Airplay,iBeacons,HomeKit, etc. has meant dead slow release of products from other manufactures. Lighting headphones would be terrible and hard to obtain if Apple use MFI to approve headphones. Manufactures could make more Bluetooth headsets, but the quality still is not there yet.
For people with expensive headphones Apple will make an adapter for them and maybe some companies will include DAC into an adapter so you actually end up with better sound on your headphones on iPhones.
You honestly sound like someone employed by Apple’s engineering team! Got any thoughts on Apple’s potential of wireless charging like the Apple Watch? Also, what are your thoughts of Apple removing the physical home button replaced for on screen? What are ways they could make it work for the seeing impaired?
I’m interested in how this and something like the “embedded home button” rumor would fare for those users with disabilities. I support the evolution – but has Apple made pairing just as easy as plug and go?
Apple also has patents for Touch ID being embedded into the Apple logo on the back. Also patents for wrap around square edged display with home button being raised on the side display.
With the largest bezels in the industry, the sharpest phone in the industry, Apple’s sir Ivy style is quite pathetic. Play it again Apple (ref.: read Steve’s interview on Wired in mid ’90 about definition of design). Perhaps one day you see me again…
If they put 2 speakers side by side in the iPhone 7 they are so beyond stupid it is profound. What an embarrassing idiotic complete and utter waste of space. Now we’re seeing the embarrassing downfall of Apple. Completely moronic moves one after another. Starting with getting those morons at beats which inevitably caused this completely useless second speaker inclusion. A complete waste of insanely valuable space that could have been used for an enormous number of better features, namely,more battery, or thinner bezels. It couldn’t be more sad honestly. A smartphone should have 1 speaker which you make as good as you possibly can, anyone intelligent knows that.
I want to add to this, if the add a FaceTime camera to the Apple Watch 2 at that same event it will be one of the worst, most laughable Apple events in their history. Two profoundly unintelligent designs.
“A smartphone should have 1 speaker which you make as good as you possibly can, anyone intelligent knows that.”
Serious, why can’t a smartphone have stereo speakers?
There are far far better features than that stereo speakers. It’s a smartphone…… Can’t wait for stereo speakers in the watch.
because who is going to sit listening to music or movies on a small screen using small speakers…
Plus, if you are watching a movie it will be in landscape mode — which means you will end up with stereo sound coming from one side…
The solution — plug in headphones… you will always get stereo sound no matter the orientation of the phone… and you wont be disturbing others…plus get a better quality of sound.
I’ve never met anyone who says “i love my stereo speakers on my phone”… it’s usual “well, it’s ok… but if i dont wear headphones i’d rather connect to an external speaker that has more power”… has why a lot of people will dock their phones… so yeah… one speaker is enough if you really must listen without headphones or external speakers — two is just using space for other tech
Agreed. My Nexus 6P stereo speakers are one of my favourite features. I now want all my phones to have stereo, front facing speakers. Stereo speakers on the bottom is a complete waste of time though. You don’t get the effect of stereo speakers, mayswell stick with mono.
Anyone who takes this 3rd party case as true is a FOOL!!! It’s way to early for any real leaks. This is pure guess work. How some of you think RUMORS are true is laughable. Maybe a couple weeks before Apple announces the new iPhone the leaks get more reliable, but where still 6 months away or so until a iPhone 7 launch.
New back material, no antenna lines, no phone jack, 1 mm thinner display array for 2nd generation 3D Touch, spherical camera sensors, dual lens camera system, and other changes does mean a redesign. IT can have the same footprint, but have a new industrial design. No antenna lines and a new material for the backing or frame can make the iPhone 7 appear vastly different, but still be the same footprint of the 6 and 6s.
Apple can’t reduce the side bezels until they switch to OLED displays. Its hard to say how difficult it is to include 3D Touch into OLED displays. So far nobody has a OLED panel on the market with a force sensitive display panel. I want an iPhone with small bezels and no home button in the bezel, but can’t rush display technology and other things needed for Apple to do make a phone with much smaller bezels.
I am sick to death of the wet eel slipperiness of my 6 Plus. I would much rather it have squared off edges again. Let’s make it of ROUND aluminum. Yeah nobody will drop that! A case it is then.
Can’t really take much information from this leak. Its only a case. I wouldn’t really go look too much into it. 6 months to go. Lets see what happens. But on a serious note. Apple do need to give it a good redesign to compete against s7 edge. Alot of loyal customers i know have already swapped over to the s7.
I really hate the idea of no headphone jack.
Are you sure it will have lightning??
That hole looks way too big for a lightning port – especially when there were earlier rumours of making the lightning surround smaller…
It looks like it could be for usb-C… this will be an awesome move if they do.
No redesign or Killing New Feature ? No Sales Record.
For me I’m disappointed.
Apple lost me on this one with no headphone jack. I don’t need another device to charge and manage. The existing ear buds always worked!
Meh. Not saying 6 isn’t nice, each to their own, but always preferred the beautiful industrial design of the 5S. Feels better in hand anyhow.
iPhone 7 been completely wire free isn’t such a bad idea. I hate having to charge my phone and listen to music at the same time.
This will only be a good idea if Apple releases the iPhone 7 with Bluetooth EarPods bundles them with the iPhone 7, saving customers the headache. Also charging the iPhone wirelessly without having to put it on a charging pad. Just walk in a room and it starts charging. Something completely different to what everyone else is doing with the charging pads.
Honestly, I wish Apple would just make some Bluetooth EarPods period. I love the ear pods, but prefer Bluetooth even though they don’t last long enough and the sound is significantly less. There are Bluetooth EarPods available out there, but just seems like Apple would make a better version. I use them for running usually.
What the hell?! No re-design? Then I’d rather just not bother upgrading this year. Is Apple losing it?