Renderings of Space Black 'iPhone 7' has hints of rumored dark Space Gray option
Ahead of an expected next-generation iPhone release this fall, graphic designer Martin Hajek ran with the latest rumor and speculation to create a detailed rendering sans headphone jack, with "Force Touch ID" and clad in a Space Black finish.
Posted to Hajek's website on Thursday, the new renderings provide a first look at what could be a close approximation to Apple's next-generation iPhone. Apple is not rumored to launch a Space Black "iPhone 7," but recent reports suggest a darker Space Gray specification is in the cards.
Following the traditional white/black color scheme seen on early iPhone models, Space Gray was introduced as a color option for the aluminum body iPhone 5s in 2013. The original iteration was a take on classic gunmetal with a hue somewhere between black and metallic silver.
The darker variant has since landed on all iOS devices and was last year extended to Mac buyers with the 12-inch MacBook. Despite carrying the same name across Apple's product offerings, Space Gray is far from uniform. The color's tone even changed between iPhone generations.
Apple might again modify Space Gray with "iPhone 7," as reports earlier in June claim the designation will be "much darker" in color, likely bordering on black. Citing supply chain sources, Japanese website Mac Otakara initially claimed Apple would ditch Space Gray altogether in favor of a dark blue colorway. The publication later clarified, saying people who saw the new Space Gray hue mistook it for a shade of blue.
Apple is expected to unveil its next-generation handset this fall alongside iOS 10. Rumors and parts leaks suggest no major aesthetic changes, though the smartphone is thought to feature redesigned antenna windows and a larger hole to accommodate an upgraded camera. Apple is also rumored to nix iPhone's 3.5mm headphone jack and implement a touch sensitive "Force Touch ID" home button, though reports conflict as to whether those changes will arrive this year.
Posted to Hajek's website on Thursday, the new renderings provide a first look at what could be a close approximation to Apple's next-generation iPhone. Apple is not rumored to launch a Space Black "iPhone 7," but recent reports suggest a darker Space Gray specification is in the cards.
Following the traditional white/black color scheme seen on early iPhone models, Space Gray was introduced as a color option for the aluminum body iPhone 5s in 2013. The original iteration was a take on classic gunmetal with a hue somewhere between black and metallic silver.
The darker variant has since landed on all iOS devices and was last year extended to Mac buyers with the 12-inch MacBook. Despite carrying the same name across Apple's product offerings, Space Gray is far from uniform. The color's tone even changed between iPhone generations.
Apple might again modify Space Gray with "iPhone 7," as reports earlier in June claim the designation will be "much darker" in color, likely bordering on black. Citing supply chain sources, Japanese website Mac Otakara initially claimed Apple would ditch Space Gray altogether in favor of a dark blue colorway. The publication later clarified, saying people who saw the new Space Gray hue mistook it for a shade of blue.
Apple is expected to unveil its next-generation handset this fall alongside iOS 10. Rumors and parts leaks suggest no major aesthetic changes, though the smartphone is thought to feature redesigned antenna windows and a larger hole to accommodate an upgraded camera. Apple is also rumored to nix iPhone's 3.5mm headphone jack and implement a touch sensitive "Force Touch ID" home button, though reports conflict as to whether those changes will arrive this year.
Comments
(one I would love to be correct about)
If this year's iPhone moves to a Force Touch home button with a home area marked in the middle as this and other previous posts have suggested, the area is the middle is reserved for Touch ID functionality, but it and the whole rest of the chin work as the home button.
Intuitively, the marked area in the middle has both functions whereas the additional home button functionality is only discovered by those looking for it. I'm sure there could be usability concerns for people accidentally pressing it, but I'm sure there are answers. I think this it's interesting though. And clearly a Force Touch home would be an improvement ditching that point of potential mechanical failure.
<grin>
The article says it clearly. People, for sure I am, are expressing how this report being true would look great in theory based off the artist's rendering. Chill.
Blue has always been my choice of case, would be nice if the phone matched.
The iPod Touch uses stainless steel for colors but it seems pretty scratch resistant. Reasons against switching to stainless steel with the iPhone would include weight, cost, ease of manufacturing and cooling properties. The rounded design and stronger metal in the current iPhone should help avoid the chips/scratches that showed up in the darker iPhone 5 models.
If this isn't the design Jony Ive had planned, he could always revise it now that he knows everybody thinks it looks cool. It matches up with some of the photos in recent months, although some are clearly fake as they have the cameras in different places:
The one with the camera further over is closer to how the camera is now as the corner is reinforced:
This mockup's camera looks nice as the curvature of the lens matches with the curvature of the band around it. They might not be able to pull that off in the real iPhone. They manage it with the iPod though. One benefit to offsetting it is it avoids fingers getting in the way of the lens when holding it.
A cleaner design like this would drive another round of upgrades no problem and they would be able to do an S-model in 2017, then an OLED upgrade in 2018 with an S-model in 2019. Then they bring out the car as iPhone sales level out and more people are on the upgrade plans.
So you're saying it was a shade of grey so dark it looked dark blue?
Someone should be selling cases that say "I'm only using a Space Grey iPhone until Apple develops a darker colour."