'iPhone 7' to return to flat back without visible antenna bands - report

Posted:
in iPhone
Apple's next flagship iPhone will return to a flatter and more elegant rear casing, ditching some of the style cues of the iPhone 6 and 6s, a report said on Tuesday.

A mockup of the new design.
A mockup of the new design.


The device's rear camera module, for instance, will lay flush with the rest of the back, a source explained to MacRumors. When the iPhone 6 was launched in 2014, some shoppers and reviewers complained that its camera bump was unattractive and prevented the phone from resting even on a table or desk. The 6s continued that design.

Apple is also said to be removing some antenna bands. Lines should, however, remain around the top and bottom edges, and it's possible that the bands will just be concealed.

The phone is otherwise expected to look similar to the iPhone 6s, and the source was unable to say whether it might be thinner than recent models.

The person's claims are some of the first hints of what the iPhone 7 might actually look like. Earlier reports have already hinted at feature changes like full waterproofing, and the removal of a 3.5mm headphone jack in favor of Lightning and Bluetooth headphones. It might even gain wireless charging, and/or a dual-lens camera on more expensive Plus models. One of those lenses is expected to offer optical zoom.

Rumors have yet to narrow down a release date, but a launch will most likely happen in Apple's usual September window.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 52
    Seeing as most people cover their phone with a case, not really a concern.
    mike1lolliverRayz2016pscooter63brian greenmr o
  • Reply 2 of 52
    This year I will upgrade my iPhone. The question is if I will get a 6S + case (that protruding lense...) or a more expensive 7. Until now, I see no reason to spend the extra 100€...
  • Reply 3 of 52
    Seeing as most people cover their phone with a case, not really a concern.
    Exactly. Apple's leather case is great. 
    1983SpamSandwichmike1pscooter63
  • Reply 4 of 52
    19831983 Posts: 1,225member
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    6Sgoldfish
  • Reply 5 of 52
    1983 said:
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    A completely transparent slab of glass, a la the phones in the show "The Expanse" may be just around the corner... ;)
    lolliver
  • Reply 6 of 52
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member
    Seeing as most people cover their phone with a case, not really a concern.
    Exactly. Apple's leather case is great. 
    I have the leather case, and for the most part it's a great case, with the exception of the bottom being exposed.  Sure enough, the rare time I dropped my phone on asphalt, it landed right on the exposed bottom giving the aluminum some nice road rash.  Bummer.  My next case for my next phone will definitely have all sides protected.
  • Reply 7 of 52
    1983 said:
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    What rumor was that?
  • Reply 8 of 52
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member

    1983 said:
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    My favorite iPhone design will always be the glass-clad iPhone4.  For me personally, it was the classiest design for a phone today.  Sure, it was on the delicate side, but it was a gorgeous piece of engineering.

    Like Steve Jobs said about it, it reminded him of an old Leica.  I hope they one day revisit that design.
    Mr_GreylolliverFedGoatanantksundaramcornchipjbishop1039brian greenwonkothesane
  • Reply 9 of 52
    sflocal said:
    Exactly. Apple's leather case is great. 
    I have the leather case, and for the most part it's a great case, with the exception of the bottom being exposed.  Sure enough, the rare time I dropped my phone on asphalt, it landed right on the exposed bottom giving the aluminum some nice road rash.  Bummer.  My next case for my next phone will definitely have all sides protected.
    I have a scuff near the speaker holes from that, but I like that it's open because I can easily use my larger headphone plug there. 
  • Reply 10 of 52
    1983 said:
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    What rumor was that?
    I thought I read a rumor where LiquidMetal might be incorporated into the aluminum somehow to allow for radio-transparency in a case that appeared to be seamlessly metallic. There also was a fleeting rumor about the use of ceramics. Not Mark Gurman-level rumoring, but wholly unsubstantiated chatter from far east suppliers.
    cornchipbrian green
  • Reply 11 of 52

    sflocal said:

    1983 said:
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    My favorite iPhone design will always be the glass-clad iPhone4.  For me personally, it was the classiest design for a phone today.  Sure, it was on the delicate side, but it was a gorgeous piece of engineering.

    Like Steve Jobs said about it, it reminded him of an old Leica.  I hope they one day revisit that design.
    The back panel on my 4S cracked and I replaced it with the iFixit glass back, which is even more fragile than the official Apple rear glass. Looking inside the phone is really quite a treat-although the phone itself on iOS 9 is nearly useless.
    anantksundaram
  • Reply 12 of 52
    I want a BLACK iPhone. Not this Space Grey crap.
    anantksundaramcornchip6Sgoldfish
  • Reply 13 of 52
    sflocal said:

    1983 said:
    Antenna bands at the top and bottom edges is definitely a more tidy and elegant solution than the current spaghetti soup on the 6/6s. But I was hoping with the rumoured move to a non-metallic or Liquid-metal casing material that it could be made to look completely seamless, we'll see...
    My favorite iPhone design will always be the glass-clad iPhone4.  For me personally, it was the classiest design for a phone today.  Sure, it was on the delicate side, but it was a gorgeous piece of engineering.

    Like Steve Jobs said about it, it reminded him of an old Leica.  I hope they one day revisit that design.
    Well you might get your wish.  The presence of lines of any kind argues against the previous rumours of an all new casing material.  The repositioning of the lines (although the article is both vague on that and a poor description), suggests two materials in a sandwich of sorts, like the iPhone 4 series.  

    If the edge was liquid metal for instance, the front glass and the back zirconia crystal it would essentially be the same as iPhone 4 (only presumably rounded like the 6 series), and would fit this description as well as the previous rumour about materials.  

    Such a phone would be almost indestructible. Also, both zirconia and liquid metal can be "doped" to appear to the eye to look exactly like each other.  The zirconia can easily be made to look like the shiny liquid metal we've seen previously or like aluminium if desired.  The liquid metal in turn can look like shiny metal, aluminium, or even glass in some instances.  Apple has many patents that are specifically about zirconia inclusions in liquid metal bases and vice versa.

    They've been researching these materials in concert with each other for years now, but perhaps they've only found out it's impossible.  We can't know for now. 
    calicornchip
  • Reply 14 of 52
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    If Apple do remove the headphone jack I will be very interested to see if it negatively impacts sales.  My gut feeling is that it would, but I have been wrong in the past about what people will tolerate so my gut is probably wrong.
    cornchip
  • Reply 15 of 52
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    carthusia said:
    What rumor was that?
    I thought I read a rumor where LiquidMetal might be incorporated into the aluminum somehow to allow for radio-transparency in a case that appeared to be seamlessly metallic. There also was a fleeting rumor about the use of ceramics. Not Mark Gurman-level rumoring, but wholly unsubstantiated chatter from far east suppliers.
    Liquidmetal is a  permanent rumour - you can disregard any rumour that suggest Apple are going to use it for something.
    edited February 2016 anantksundaramcornchip
  • Reply 16 of 52
    cnocbui said:
    carthusia said:
    I thought I read a rumor where LiquidMetal might be incorporated into the aluminum somehow to allow for radio-transparency in a case that appeared to be seamlessly metallic. There also was a fleeting rumor about the use of ceramics. Not Mark Gurman-level rumoring, but wholly unsubstantiated chatter from far east suppliers.
    Liquidmetal is a  permanent rumour - you can disregard any rumour that suggest Apple are going to use it for something.
    They've already used it for something-a SIM ejector tool in a previous iPhone. We don't know when or how it might be used in a more meaningful way.
  • Reply 17 of 52
    k2kwk2kw Posts: 2,075member
    This is still ugly like the 6/6s.

    The black iPhone 4s best still.  
    5/5s good. 

    Like a lots of things at Apple, design has been down hill since Jobs died.
    Obviously Steve pushed everyone including Ive in a way that Cook can't or won't.
    edited February 2016 FedGoat
  • Reply 18 of 52
    cnocbuicnocbui Posts: 3,613member
    carthusia said:
    cnocbui said:
    Liquidmetal is a  permanent rumour - you can disregard any rumour that suggest Apple are going to use it for something.
    They've already used it for something-a SIM ejector tool in a previous iPhone. We don't know when or how it might be used in a more meaningful way.
    Ha ha ha ha ha - The old 'but SIM ejector tool'.  What was that - 6 years ago? Ha ha ha.

    The only reasonable hypothesis is that Apple had in mind to use liquidmetal for a particular purpose and it turned out to be impractical, or too costly, or they changed direction.  They probably only renewed the deal as a spoiler to prevent others from using it.
  • Reply 19 of 52
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,299member
    Seeing as most people cover their phone with a case, not really a concern.
    Only since the 6 have most people covered their phones.
    The 5 was very serviceable naked phone but even the most dedicated iPhone nudists have covered up with the 6 thanks to it's middle age spread.
  • Reply 20 of 52
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    People who wear white sweat socks with their black jeans and black Chuck Taylors won't be happy.  It's the end of the Bowser look.
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