Best known for his realistic 3-D renderings of unannounced Apple products, Martin Hajek has released a collection of images for German publication ComputerBild.de depicting the “iPhone 7,” mixing some plausible ideas with some big stretches.
Hajek imagines that Apple will substantially reuse the iPhone 6 design, tweaking the front to use a larger screen with much smaller bezels. This is accomplished by integrating the Touch ID sensor directly within the display, and moving the ear speaker, FaceTime camera and proximity sensor right next to the iPhone 7’s top edge. On the back, Hajek suggests that Apple could remedy the current models’ unsightly antenna bars by instead using an antenna ring that parallels the edges of the iPhone 7. A dual-lens camera has also been added.
While the dual-lens camera is similar to ones designed by recent Apple acquisition LinX, and could conceivably replace the single-lens cameras found on all previous iPhones, the redesigned Touch ID/Home button and curved-corner screen aren’t likely to happen any time soon.
Regardless, the images provide interesting fodder for discussion. The entire collection of 15 renders can be seen at ComputerBild. There’s also a video…
Now that Force Touch is here, I think we could actually see the end of the Home button.
However, I do like a physical click, but the mechanicals can break down over time, so Apple could mimic the touch (Reachability and Touch ID), press (click Home button), and force touch (deep press) with their new technology.
The only problem is that it’s not refined yet – There are times when I’m meaning to ‘force touch’ on my Apple Watch, and its registering as a press, or vice versa. And, with having three methods for the iPhone could be even more problematic.
Plus, seeing the many blown-up components of a fingerprint reader, having Apple implement one inside of a touchscreen is a big challenge.
Yup. Out of all of the elements in the render, the integrated Touch ID/Home button and curved screen strike me as the least realistic for the time being. But given how closely haptic feedback can mirror the sensation of a button press, the bigger issue now is indeed the Touch ID scanning, rather than the button simulating functionality.
“What? iPhone 7 is not going to be a tapered design? This is an outrage!”
I’m not so sure about this. The side bezels on the renderings look about the same. But as for the top bezel, it doesn’t have the room for the speaker, the camera, or the sensor. Since Apple’s front camera is above the screen, I don’t see how this accommodates it.
Eliminating the button may seem like a good idea, by how woyld that work? Force isn’t an off/on button. It requires the device to be on to work. I just don’t see that. It’s not a simple replacement. It would require changes in api’s, among other things.
While it seems nice, I’m not sold on the idea.