The grapevine is buzzing once again as the Cupertino-based smartphone-maker gears up to launch the next iteration of the iPhone in September/October 2015.
Shruti Puri reports on the rumours swirling around iPhone 7
Apple is known for building devices that competitors try to emulate. The Apple iPhone series is a solid hit among consumers worldwide, thanks to its amazing design and features, which put it miles ahead of others. Apple iPhones in India have their own fan following. As per recent reports, Apple has sold nearly 1.3 million iPhones in India in the year 2014-15. The next big thing coming from the Cupertino-based manufacturer is the iPhone 7, rumours of which have already started swirling on tech blogs. The next Apple iPhone is expected to hit the market September or October 2015 with an anticipated price range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 55,000.
Like iPhone 6, Apple's next flagship device will be available on contract through one or more mobile carriers. However, if you are a staunch believer in the 'no contract smartphones' policy, then the smartphone will also be available at brick-and-mortar or online stores.
1. Design
We believe that the company will not deviate much from the earlier iPhone design that the company had launched in the past. It is likely to have the seamless design of the iPhone 6 in anodised aluminium and stainless steel. It can also come with liquid metal chassis that provides more durability than aluminium. The edges are likely to have smooth curves and the bezels will be thinner. iPhone 7 is believed to have an overall dimension of 138mm x 67mm x 7.1mm, an increase of roughly 3 per cent from its last iPhone iteration.
2. Display
Apple has changed the display aspect ratio from 3:2 to the most cinematic 16:9 from iPhone 5 model and we believe iPhone 7 will have the same. The display may be made up of crystal sapphire or an unbreakable glass. There are chances that the company might shift from crystal sapphire glass to the sturdier corning gorilla glass 4 layer. iPhone 7 will have bigger full HD screen size than the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 display. The screen is expected to support 1080 x 1920 pixels resolutions with a pixel density of 469ppi.
3. Camera
Rumours suggest that Apple will be upping its game in the camera department of the yet to be launched iPhone 7. Experts believe that this time the company will equip it with a 12MP primary camera placed at the back with an RGBW sensor and a two-lens system with 1/3-inch sensor that will give it amazing photo capturing abilities.
It will also feature optical image stabilisation+, dual LED flash and auto focus elements to deliver a DSLR like quality. For taking selfies or shooting videos chat over Skype, it is likely to have a secondary 5/8MP front-facing camera with a built-in flash.
4. Processor and UI
The iPhone 7, it is believed, will be supremely fast because it will be powered by the next generation Apple quad-core A9 ARM v7-A processor along with PowerVR GX6450 (quad-core graphics) to give you an unmatched performance. The smartphone will run on the yet to be released iOS 9 platform. Although there are no revolutionary changes, we can see from the beta design of the iOS 9 that there are some interesting tweaks.
Among the changes is the fast-app switcher that allows you to see a 3D carousel of cards, going backwards in time when you double touch your home button, instead of the 2D card view available now. The SIRI 2 talking assistant is likely to be more responsive and the music app redesigned. It also has a new 'Move to iOS' feature that allows you to bring nearly all your stuff from an Android phone or tablet over to your new iPhone or iPad, wirelessly and automatically.
5. Connectivity features
iPhone 7 will be packed with a multitude of connectivity features that will allow you to stay in touch with the world through multiple channels. These connectivity options are likely to be, 4G LTE, 3G (WCDMA 900/2100 MHz), 2G (GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz), Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, Ethernet, HDMI slot, NFC, USB High speed 2.0 and Micro USB support, GLONASS, GPS and A-GPS.
For better user experience, the next generation iPhone 7 will come with a few sensors, including Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Proximity, Digital Compass, Ambient Light, Heart rate, and Finger print sensor.
6. Storage
The iPhone 7 is likely to be made available in 16/64/128GB memory variants. Apple is planning to release the 16GB variant with 2GB of RAM and the 64/128GB with 3GB of RAM respectively. Moreover, like all other iPhone models in the past, the iPhone 7 will not have any option of adding any external memory to it.
To make iPhone 7 run for a long period, it is rumoured to be equipped with a Li-Ion 2000mAh non-removable battery with wireless charging provision.
7. Battery
According to sources, the new battery and the iOS 9 will allow the user to extract more juice from its battery. On an average, the user is expected to use the new iPhone one hour longer than the iPhone 6.
In addition, with the new Low Power Mode, you can run your iPhone 7 for longer when your battery juice is about to get exhausted.
8. Other features
In addition, the iPhone 7 will also come with several other features that will make it a best deal for the price quoted. These features include, Force touch feature, no physical 'Home' button, wireless charging, waterproof and dustproof, powerful 3D camera, Apple Pay, new recycling and trade-in programme, a premium leather case, ear pods and a charger. Apart from these, Find My iPhone feature will also be available in the upcoming version that will help you trace your lost iPhone. It is likely to be sold in gold, silver and space grey colour options.
Image: iPhone 6
Note: The lead image is used only for representational purpose
