Rumor: Apple's 2017 iPhone will be radical redesign with Touch ID, FaceTime camera & speaker embedd
With this year's "iPhone 7" expected to have a similar design and form factor to the current iPhone 6s, rumors continue to point toward a major overhaul in 2017, with one well-connected insider suggesting Apple is working on an edge-to-edge display that will conceal components and sensors under the screen.
Sharing the latest "scuttlebutt" he's heard from sources inside Apple, John Gruber of Daring Fireball said on the latest episode of his "The Talk Show" podcast that sources have independently told him that next year's iPhone upgrade will feature a display on the entire front face of the handset.
"The Touch ID sensor will be somehow embedded in the display, the front facing camera will somehow be embedded in the display, the speaker, everything," Gruber said.
His comments were made in a conversation with analyst Ben Thompson, around the two-hour mark of the latest episode. The two lamented the fact that this year's so-called "iPhone 7" is expected to look largely identical to the previous two generations, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6.
Gruber said he doesn't believe Apple will call this year's model the "iPhone 7," though he admitted that was speculation based on his "gut" feeling, rather than what sources have told him. He also said the "rumor mill is probably right," and that this year's update will look like an iPhone 6s with the antenna lines removed from the back of the handset.
Apple is expected to have much bigger changes in the works for 2017, however. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities was first to report in March that next year Apple is apparently planning to introduce a high-end model that sports a curved glass case and a 5.8-inch AMOLED display.
Gruber took the rumor one step further, and indicated that the entire front of the device is expected to be a display, eschewing the "chin" and "forehead" that have existed on every single iPhone model to date.
"2017 is going to be the jaw-dropping, wow, that's an astounding industrial design iPhone," Gruber said.
Still unknown is whether Apple hopes to shrink the form factor of the iPhone while keeping the same size display, or increase the screen size on the iPhone while retaining the same general form factor.
Though Apple has stuck to a "tick-tock" strategy with the iPhone for years, redesigning its handset every two years and then refining it with an "s" upgrade, all signs point to Apple introducing a new iPhone design next year. Apple's "iPhone 7" is expected to be introduced this September, and leaked parts and details show a device with a nearly identical form factor to the iPhone 6s.
Sharing the latest "scuttlebutt" he's heard from sources inside Apple, John Gruber of Daring Fireball said on the latest episode of his "The Talk Show" podcast that sources have independently told him that next year's iPhone upgrade will feature a display on the entire front face of the handset.
"The Touch ID sensor will be somehow embedded in the display, the front facing camera will somehow be embedded in the display, the speaker, everything," Gruber said.
His comments were made in a conversation with analyst Ben Thompson, around the two-hour mark of the latest episode. The two lamented the fact that this year's so-called "iPhone 7" is expected to look largely identical to the previous two generations, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6.
Gruber said he doesn't believe Apple will call this year's model the "iPhone 7," though he admitted that was speculation based on his "gut" feeling, rather than what sources have told him. He also said the "rumor mill is probably right," and that this year's update will look like an iPhone 6s with the antenna lines removed from the back of the handset.
Apple is expected to have much bigger changes in the works for 2017, however. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities was first to report in March that next year Apple is apparently planning to introduce a high-end model that sports a curved glass case and a 5.8-inch AMOLED display.
Gruber took the rumor one step further, and indicated that the entire front of the device is expected to be a display, eschewing the "chin" and "forehead" that have existed on every single iPhone model to date.
"2017 is going to be the jaw-dropping, wow, that's an astounding industrial design iPhone," Gruber said.
Still unknown is whether Apple hopes to shrink the form factor of the iPhone while keeping the same size display, or increase the screen size on the iPhone while retaining the same general form factor.
Though Apple has stuck to a "tick-tock" strategy with the iPhone for years, redesigning its handset every two years and then refining it with an "s" upgrade, all signs point to Apple introducing a new iPhone design next year. Apple's "iPhone 7" is expected to be introduced this September, and leaked parts and details show a device with a nearly identical form factor to the iPhone 6s.
Comments
But if they really jump from "iPhone 7" to "iPhone 8" that could annoy some iPhone 7 buyers.
I skipped the personal phone upgrade to the 6S to hang on to my 6 (work related, I've got a 6S+), I wouldn't mind hanging on to the 6 for 2 more years as long as Apple doesn't hamstring it in software to sell new hardware. If they even just put 50% more battery life in it with no new features, I just might buy in, but they won't... so... I won't.
I suspect that Tim's "must have" feature will be services-related and best exploited by the new 2016 iPhone (whatever it's called).
These 2017 iPhone rumors show an attractive concept -- I hope it materializes.
The key is for Apple to make both the 2016 and 2017 iPhones compelling enough that consumers will buy/upgrade to both.
The Apple iPhone Upgrade Program helps make this a no-brainer decision.
If this is the plan, I just hope Apple doesn't drop the headphone jack. That, or Apple is planning to take advantage of the resulting huge price drop to buy back a huge portion of its stock in anticipation of the mind-blowing iPhone "X" next year.
Maybe the September release will focus on Apple's new audio innovations in preparation for the 2017 iPhone.
oh, and of course ample time as well for self proclaimed analysts to predict again doom^2 on Apple while again completely missing the point that the vast majority of buyers does not know/care about the 2017 phone and conclude that any potential "6SE" will sell in epic fail rates - which in their language means only 5 times more profit than the second most profitable company on the planet, or so.
Apart from that Gruber is on the better informed side of things AFAIK so looking forward to 2017 and likely enjoying my 5SE till then
IMO, The iPhone Upgrade Program is designed to allow a user to save money while enjoying the latest iPhone technology. Likely, this will allow the end of the tick-tock cycle and enable staggered release of new iPhones -- when the tech is ready, as opposed some arbitrary date on the calendar.
I don't believe that the Upgrade Program has anything to do with the 2016 model being a "meh" upgrade. Rather, I suspect that the 2016 model will be a compelling upgrade -- even though its physical appearance may resemble the current models.
This isn't even a rumor about the upcoming iPhone, it's a rumor about the iPhone that's possibly coming long after the upcoming iPhone, maybe in 2017 sometime, closer to 2018.
Screw the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7S!
I got a much better rumor! Watch out for the iPhone 8, coming in the fall of 2018! That's gonna be bananas, and will totally crush the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7S!
I pity any iPhone 7 buyers.