iPhone 7

Very sketchy images have surfaced showing off supposed future iPhone product packaging, raising the potential of Apple calling a new iPhone the iPhone 6 SE. Whether this is meant as a successor to the 4 inch iPhone SE or the ‘real’ name for the iPhone 7, due to be announced early next month, is unclear. An upgrade to the iPhone SE is not expected and has not been rumored, as the device only launched a few months ago.

Update: More photos from Priceraja, including a look at the pamphlet.

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In this week’s top stories: iOS 10 betas, iPhone 7 leaks, Apple Watch 2, new iPad rumors, and much more.

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After a minor mid-year refresh with new bands and models earlier this year, a full-fledged Apple Watch 2 upgrade is expected to arrive in the coming months. Here’s what we know so far…
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Zac made the point yesterday that just because the iPhone 7 is sounding like a second S-year model, that doesn’t mean that mass-market buyers – ‘normals’ – won’t be wowed by it. Apple has an enviable ability to take relatively mainstream features and make them sound magical, and a report by French site NWE seems to make one rumored feature sound more likely.

While the dual-camera system slated for the larger iPhone 7 Plus is an obvious talking point, it’s also been suggested that the smaller model may get the optical image stabilisation (OIS) currently limited to the iPhone 6/6s Plus.

A claimed photo of the camera module for the 4.7-inch iPhone has four slots around it, similar to those found in the 6/6s Plus, but not in the standard model. These would appear to be for the tiny motors needed to move the lens in an OIS system …

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Apple has a fierce reputation for driving a hard bargain with its component suppliers, using its size and status to demand ultra-competitive pricing. But according to Digitimes, suppliers in Taiwan are starting to resist demands for ever-greater discounts.

Apple is said to have asked downstream part and component suppliers […] to reduce their quotes for iPhone 7 devices by as much as 20% even though order volumes for new phones are reportedly 30% lower than those placed a year earlier. Major downstream suppliers, notably Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and associated companies under the Foxconn Group, have replied Apple that they could not be able to accept orders without reasonable profits at this time.

The two sides each appear to be bringing persuasive arguments to the table …

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iPhone 7 mockup from <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2016/08/16/iphone-7-vs-6s-vs-7-plus-rumored-design-video/">Dom’s hands-on video</a> this week

We’re now less than three weeks away from the date when Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 7, and I’ve noticed something worth discussing ahead of time.

This year’s iPhone appears to be a pretty modest update largely because of what we expect will be an iPhone 6s-like design, but I’ve seen a generally positive response to rumors so far from the type of users that insiders sometimes call normals. What feels like a boring iPhone cycle to insiders still holds a sense of magic for others. Perspective is important.

There’s also a splash of magic that seems to spread to even cynical insiders as Apple’s rumored plans turn into official products. We already know how the next few weeks will play out, but there’s still an adrenaline rush that comes with each step along the way…

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Apple’s iPhone 7 is set to launch next month, but today we’re taking an early look at what could be the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus design and comparing it to the current generation models. It’s said that this year’s iPhone won’t bring a fresh new design which if true is kind of lame-sauce, and if these models are anything like the real deal, I think it’s time to be a bit disappointed in Apple’s design choices…

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An official announcement about Apple’s anticipated September iPhone event is expected sometime later this month, and a new detail has emerged that hints at when we might actually be getting our hands on the new iPhone 7 … and it could be later than previously expected.

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We first started hearing whispers of a Space Black iPhone 7 in June, with claimed chassis and component leaks since then appearing to support the new darker model. New photos (above) emerged over the weekend – albeit low-quality ones, and from a source that has previously posted photos of likely mockups rather than the real thing.

But with a Space Black iPhone 7 seeming a likely bet, we thought it would be interesting to pull together a few of the renders we’ve seen so far and find out how popular an option the color is likely to be …

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The Washington Post this weekend published a very in-depth video/interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook just weeks before Apple is set to unveil its biggest product of the year by far, the iPhone 7. In it, Cook talks about the incredibly important people outside of Apple he turns to for advice at pivotal moments, including Warren Buffett on returning cash to stockholders, Anderson Cooper on coming out, and folks like Bill Clinton and Laurene Powell Jobs on testifying before congress.

He also touches on the future of Apple, such as its Artificial Intelligence and and Augmented/Virtual Reality ambitions…
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In this week’s top stories: Apple’s upcoming MacBook Pro with OLED touchscreen, the latest iPhone 7 leaks, Apple Watch 2 reports, and much more.

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Update: A couple of iPhone 7 Plus photos (not hi-res) added below, along with what are claimed to be screen assemblies.

Another day, another set of iPhone 7 shots … The latest ones, posted by Czech site LetemSvètem, are higher-resolution than most that we’ve seen to date, and you can click the images below to view them in all their 3264×2448-pixel glory.

The site says that the source – an online store – also has a blue version, though these photos were not supplied …

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Following a long run of iPhone 7 leaks from various sources allegedly showing the upcoming device’s external design changes, today’s leak claims to show an upgraded Apple “A10” processor for the device.

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With it now looking virtually certain that the iPhone 7 shares the form factor of the iPhone 6/6s, both Spigen and Olixar are taking pre-orders on cases for the new iPhone due to be launched next month. Both firms also seems to be anticipating the rumored Space Black color, offering this in addition to existing iPhone colors …

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Looking for the most versatile stand option for your iPhone or other device? Spigen’s new $10 Universal Metal Kickstand gives you a super-solid, always-there stand that will let you prop up your phone for a perfect viewing angle wherever you are.

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Bloomberg this morning issued a report noting that Apple sources have reaffirmed many disparate reports on the iPhone 7. These include an iPhone 6-like design with neater antenna lines, dual cameras on the 5.5-inch model, a pressure-sensitive Home button with haptic feedback and removal of the headphone jack.

There has been much speculation about the functionality of the twin-camera setup on the larger iPhone, and the report notes that the system will offer two benefits …

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Over the weekend, a few photos appear to show that the iPhone 7 will indeed come in a new Space Black color variant, as previously rumored. The black chassis, SIM tray and mute button we saw earlier pictured are markedly darker than the Space Grey color seen with iPhone 6s. The exact source of these new images is unclear.

The new black color mirrors the Space Black option for Apple Watch. It is unclear if the Space Black iPhone 7 would be released alongside the Space Grey color option, or if it would replace it in the lineup.

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In this week’s top stories: New iOS 10 and macOS betas, more iPhone 7 and Lightning headphone leaks, apps and updates, and much more.  
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Headphone jack not found on iPhone 7 mockups and leaks.

The removal of the 3.5mm analogue headphone jack from the iPhone 7 is well documented at this point. What is less clear is what Apple will offer as a replacement for new iPhone buyers. There have been rumors (and alleged photos) of Lightning EarPods to be bundled in the box … but there has also been rumors of Apple developing Bluetooth headphones too.

A report from Forbes says Apple has been working on an in-house custom designed Bluetooth chip for several years. The Apple Bluetooth component focuses on power efficiency and could enable Apple to debut new wireless headphones with really long battery life, perhaps in concert with the iPhone 7 launch — expected release date is September 16th.

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