iPhone 7

Bragi’s “The Headphone” wireless earbuds

Ahead of Apple’s iPhone 7 event tomorrow, the latest supply chain analysis from KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo notes that Apple is developing a Bluetooth-like wireless chip likely to be used in new wireless headphones.

The report follows our own report from earlier this year that Apple was working on cord-free wireless earbuds ahead of its new iPhones, the first expected to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack. KGI adds that the headphones will target a higher-end market than the company’s Beats brand:

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We’re just over 24 hours away from the kickoff of Apple’s big iPhone 7 keynote, and the company is reminding Apple TV owners that you can easily view the show from home with the Apple Events channel. The Apple TV app refreshed over the long weekend with bokeh artwork used to promote tomorrow’s Apple keynote. You can even use the channel to see a reminder for when the keynote kicks off in your local timezone.

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We’ve been tracking interest in the iPhone 7 for some time now, through a series of reader polls. One day before the launch, we thought it would be a good time to provide a round-up of the results of previous polls, and to carry out one final one.

Way back in January, we asked whether you wanted a thinner iPhone at the expense of the 3.5mm headphone jack. The largest group – just under 40% of you – said that you were happy to use Lightning or Bluetooth headphones. The loss of the headphone socket now looks like a done deal, of course, but without a slimmer form factor.

Also the same month, we asked which of the rumored iPhone 7 features excited you most …

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A poster on a Vietnamese Apple website is claiming to have used a working iPhone 7 unit, ahead of the device’s official unveiling on Wednesday at Apple’s press media event. The writer shares his experience handling Apple’s iPhone 7 (not the Plus model) and most of what he says mirrors previous reports. Apply some skepticism here though: there are no photos for evidence.

There are few new alleged tidbits amongst the usual discussion of an iPhone 6s-esque design. One standout claim is that the iPhone 7 can record 4K video at 60 frames per second. This is up from 4k @ 30 fps on the current iPhone 6s and is a significant upgrade as no phone on the market today can do this …

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As previously teased, headphone maker Bragi today announced a new cheaper set of cord-free, truly wireless earbuds ahead of Apple’s iPhone 7 & Apple Watch 2 event on Sept. 7 this week.

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We have seen an alleged screenshot of a GeekBench report before for the iPhone 7 but that one turned out to be fake. Ahead of the official unveiling on Wednesday, another set of purported GeekBench results for iPhone 7 has surfaced although this one is a bit more convincing.

The results suggest a significant performance boost associated with the new Apple A10 chip in the iPhone 7, with a headline score of 3379 for single-core and 5495 for multi-core. This is about 35% higher than what a typical iPhone 6s unit reports.

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It’s difficult for Apple to keep secrets this close to an iPhone launch. At this point, we probably know most of what there is to know, but a May interview with Tim Cook resurfaced on Daring Fireball could indicate that Apple has one surprise in store.

If you’ve ever seen what can be created with that pencil on an iPad or an iPhone, it’s really unbelievable … 

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We know Apple is going to announce the iPhone 7/Plus and an updated Apple Watch next week and that’s really exciting. However, one small downside of the upcoming announcement is the impending drop in value of your soon-to-be-outdated Apple devices, whether they are your daily drivers or an older device that’s been sitting in your desk.

Every year newer models push the older iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks farther and farther down the path of obsolescence. But there’s good news: you still have time to sell your devices and we’ll help you maximize the money you get for them too...
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Shot by Howard Brilliant for 9to5Mac

Apple flags are now flying over Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco, California, as the company prepares the venue for Wednesday’s iPhone 7 announcement. Apple’s keynote kicks off at 10am PT/1pm ET, where we expect to see upgraded iPhones and a new Apple Watch introduced. Check out more shots of the scene after the break…

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In this week’s top stories: Apple officially scheduled its iPhone 7 event for next Wednesday, September the 7th, as yet more details of the device and a second-gen Apple Watch 2 leaked this week. Head below for these and more of our top shared stories:

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A weekend report from KGI is shining some last minute details on the iPhone 7. As well as reaffirming everything we’ve already heard, such as the design resembling the iPhone 6s with tweaked antenna lines, the report includes some specific details about certain changes.

KGI says that the iPhone 7 will include the new Apple A10 SoC, which will be CPU clocked at up to 2.4GHz, a dramatic increase over the existing A9 silicon. The iPhone 7 will also come in two new color options which KGI describes as “dark black” and glossy “piano black”, replacing space grey. There are also changes to the speaker system, Force Touch sensors, waterproofing and more. Many details after the jump, including an explanation of what the iPhone 7 Plus dual-camera system comprises …

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Now less than a week away from Apple’s ‘See you on the 7th’ iPhone 7 event, there’s a lot we know about the device and other product announcements Apple has planned for next week. A dual-camera system for iPhone, a new and improved Apple Watch 2 with GPS, new wireless headphones, and much more. Here’s what we expect to see at Apple’s iPhone event next week…
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Apple has never been afraid to declare that technology has moved on, and that something we all thought of as essential is now legacy equipment. It did this first with the 3.5-inch floppy drive, omitting it from the iMac G3 in 1998 because Steve Jobs held the view that the CD-ROM had rendered the medium obsolete.

Apple was also one of the first companies to abandon optical drives, with the MacBook Air being the first Mac to launch without one in 2008. The company of course later dropped optical drives from the Retina MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac.

Finally, in launching the 12-inch MacBook, Apple also declared that every prior port except the headphone socket was no longer necessary.

Each time Apple has done this, there have been anguished complaints and negative press. Apple has weathered the storm each time, and other manufacturers tended to quietly follow Apple’s lead a little later. But in seemingly planning to abandon the oldest and best-established standard of them all – the venerable 3.5mm headphone jack – I believe Apple is being a little more careful in how it has prepared the ground …

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An interesting image is making the rounds today: a photograph of a purported packaging insert for Apple’s upcoming new phone. If the photo is to be believed, Apple will indeed be calling its larger new phone the ‘iPhone 7 Plus’, with the ‘iPhone 7’ name being taken by the 4.7 inch sibling.

It also indicates that Apple will be bundling Lightning EarPods in the box with every iPhone 7, as a consequence of the missing 3.5mm headphone jack. More interestingly, the leak suggests Apple will also be including a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack adaptor as a bundled accessory.

Full photo of the pamphlet after the jump …

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The new iPhones might look strikingly similar to outgoing models, but just because the casing looks familiar doesn’t mean that it should be dismissed as more of the same. Why? Because at least one of the new iPhone 7 models will likely feature major camera improvements that make the iPhone much more competitive with standalone shooters.

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With the iPhone 7 (or whatever it ends up being called) set to be launched next week, we already know a lot about Apple’s new phone. The iPhone 7 will largely look the same as the iPhone 6s with tweaked antenna lines and new cameras (dual cameras on the larger 5.5 inch phone). It also seems like Apple is preparing to add a new color option to the lineup, a ‘Space Black’ color variant.

A photo from Macotakara suggests that Apple will not be replacing the Space Grey color but instead add a glossy ‘Space Black’ shade as an additional color option. This would mean Apple would sell a total of five different coloured iPhone 7 units.

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Apple’s September product unveiling event is now confirmed as being held on September 7 at a keynote in San Francisco. Rumors are expecting a new iPhone 7 to be launched, largely resembling an iPhone 6s with dual cameras as a new flagship feature. Russian trademark filings discovered by mobiltelefon.ru confirm that Apple is readying new iPhones with model numbers A1778 and A1784.

The filings also describe a series of new Apple wearable devices, which appear to be different versions of Apple Watch 2 and maybe tweaked Apple Watch 1 hardware too. Most interestingly, it also confirms the existence of ‘AirPods’ – official wireless headphones to be used in tandem with the iPhone 7 …

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