'iPhone 7s' family slightly larger than iPhone 7, may confound some case manufacturers

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone edited August 2017
New reports from the supply chain suggest that the "iPhone 7s" and "iPhone 7s Plus" are slightly larger than the predecessors of the line, possibly causing some incompatibilities with particularly form-fitting protective cases.




According to a report published by TechnoBuffalo late on Tuesday, the new devices in the "iPhone 7s" family are a bit larger in every dimension.

The "iPhone 7s" is said to be 138.44 millimeters tall, 67.26 millimeters wide, and 7.21 millimeters deep. For comparison, the iPhone 7 is 138.3 millimeters tall, 67.1 millimeters wide, and 7.1 millimeters thick.

The report's details for the "iPhone 7s" reiterates one from August 15, with identical dimensions. At the time, there were no dimensions available for the "iPhone 7s Plus"

The "iPhone 7s Plus" is reportedly 158.37 millimeters tall, 78.1 millimeters wide, and 7.41 millimeters deep. The extant iPhone 7 Plus is 158.2 millimeters tall, 77.9 millimeters wide, and 7.3 millimeters thick.

A 0.1 millimeter size difference is roughly equivalent to the thickness of a sheet of copy paper. In most situations, manufacturing tolerances will still allow existing iPhone 7 family cases to work with the equivalent "iPhone 7s" case, but this will depend greatly on how precisely machined any given case or peripheral is.

It is unclear why the measurements vary -- as they did not between the iPhone 6s design and the iPhone 7. One possibility is the glass back possibly on the phone, and another is necessary thickness for a wireless charging feature, also said to be included in the new model.

Apple is also expected unveil the "iPhone 7s" lineup that will serve as a successor to the iPhone 7, in addition to a premium "iPhone 8" with all of the smartphone technologies that Apple can bring to bear.

Less clear is when the devices will reach the public's hands. If Apple follows historical patterns, the new iPhone models should be released to customers on Friday, Sept. 22.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    SoundJudgmentSoundJudgment Posts: 187member
    A lot of the cheaper or lesser-known case-dealers will try to dump current case-inventory upon the "S" series when the new line is first released. **SPECIAL PRICING!** ...etc.
    edited August 2017
  • Reply 2 of 11
    rtdunhamrtdunham Posts: 428member
    How are cases to work with the new wraparound-display phone? Don't all cases fit snugly over the bezels? won't that obscure parts of the display?

  • Reply 3 of 11
    AvieshekAvieshek Posts: 100member
    Buys iPhone in a year, worries about a case? Not a customer's problemo. 
    edited August 2017
  • Reply 4 of 11
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    "It is unclear why the measurements vary -- as they did not between the iPhone 6s design and the iPhone 7."

    but they DID vary between the 6 and 6S.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    chiachia Posts: 714member
    AppleInsider said:

    It is unclear why the measurements vary -- as they did not between the iPhone 6s design and the iPhone 7. One possibility is the glass back possibly on the phone, and another is necessary thickness for a wireless charging feature, also said to be included in the new model.

    But the measurements did vary slightly between the 6 and the slightly larger 6S, as my previous post since deleted by AppleInsider moderators clearly pointed out.
    At least it's had the benefit of the article being corrected.

    Advice to fellow posters, it may be advisable not to use the phrases along the lines of "disappointed with Appleinsider" in your posts lest you incur the retribution of it being deleted by Appleinsider moderators.

    Well that's a sign of hope for the future, perhaps if I express "disappointment with trolls" it may lead to more deletion of trolling and off-topic posts.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    MetriacanthosaurusMetriacanthosaurus Posts: 880member
    The 6s is thicker than the 6, and the 7 is thicker than the 6s. The 7s is going to be thicker than the 7. Each of these 3 incremental increases in thickness has had to affect some cases. I recall most 6 cases still fit the 6s. But then 7 was a step too far, plus the camera changed.

    rtdunham said:
    How are cases to work with the new wraparound-display phone? Don't all cases fit snugly over the bezels? won't that obscure parts of the display?

    Who said "wrap around display"? This isn't Samsung. iPhone 8 isn't boasting and such useless gimmicks.
    jbdragon
  • Reply 7 of 11
    curtis hannahcurtis hannah Posts: 1,834member
    Not the 6S thing again where it was thicker but smaller batteries, hopefully there is a point if they make it thicker.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    kkqd1337kkqd1337 Posts: 476member

    I don't understand who the 7S is aimed at, or is there something especially exciting happening that I'm missing.

    I'd expect most people on here like me will want/get the iPhone 8. People who aren't really bothered about the latest and best should just get the 7.

    It's the first time they are doing a release like this isn't it?

    jbdragon
  • Reply 9 of 11
    MetriacanthosaurusMetriacanthosaurus Posts: 880member
    By "Confound" I think you meant "Delight".

    What case manufacturer doesn't want the next iPhone to change just enough that people have to buy new cases?
    chia
  • Reply 10 of 11
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,312member
    Metriacanthosaurus said:
    By "Confound" I think you meant "Delight".

    What case manufacturer doesn't want the next iPhone to change just enough that people have to buy new cases?
    I would still buy a new case. Why would I want to put a old case on a new phone? What they want is the cases to fit the new phone so that their cases on available to buy on launch day and in the days to follow where people are buying a new care for their new phone. After that now many people ever replace the case they got for their phone 6 months or a year later with a new case? If your current cases don't work with the new launched phone, you're kind of screwed. If you can't get real specs for what the new phone is going to be before launch, you can try to make one based on rumors and take your chance, or wait until they're launched. They like it when When Apple doesn't change external phone designs. They sell more cases that way.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    evilutionevilution Posts: 1,399member
    Unless it's a very finely machined metal case, these extra few points of a millimetre won't affect case fitting.
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