Rumors of the iPhone 7 had started to surface in the smartphone space soon after Apple launched the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus in September 2015. However, latest leaks give the first glimpse of the LCD backlight panel, which may be used in the purported iPhone 7.
French publication NoWhereElse and Taiwanese website Apple.Club.Tw have leaked some pictures of the internals that may be used in the iPhone 7. The the leaked images compare the LCD backlight panel of the iPhone 6s and the next-generation iPhone.
The display backlight of the iPhone 7 seems similar to the iPhone 6s, but the flex cables and the 3D Touch chip used in the iPhone 7's LCD display are in different locations, which suggests at an updated design for the 3D Touch sensors.
Apple has already used a novel pressure-sensing technology called 3D Touch in the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. 3D Touch lets users interact with their iPhones in an entirely new way. However, reports speculate that the technology is not scalable to iPads and Apple is developing a new pressure-sensitive technology, which may be used in the iPads and even in iPhones. The relocation of the 3D Touch sensors and flex cable, as seen on the leaked image, may be a part of the new pressure-sensitive technology.
Previous rumors have suggested that Apple may launch the iPhone 6c, successor to the iPhone 5c, sometime in March or April 2016. The components leaked in the image could be used in the unannounced 4-inch iPhone 6c. However, other reports point that the iPhone 6c will not support 3D Touch at all.
NoWhereElse also points out that the leaked LCD backlight panel may actually be used in the next-gen iPhone. However, there are also chances that the panel has been produced to be used in cheap copies of the iPhone.
The iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus come loaded with a number of new features that have attracted more smartphones customers, and the next-generation iPhone 7 will undoubtedly bring in even more new and attractive features.
Existing iPhone 7 rumors speculate that the smartphone may not include a 3.5 mm audio jack at all and will use wireless headphones instead. The current-generation iPhone has a maximum storage capacity of 128 GB. However, Chinese publication MyDrivers proposes that the iPhone 7 will also be available with 256 GB on-board storage.
Apple does not officially reveal the battery size of iPhones. However, the iPhone 6s Plus includes a 2,750mAh battery. MyDrivers reports that the iPhone 7 Plus will come with a bigger 3,100mAh battery.
Apple's A10 processor is expected to power the iPhone 7 and the handset may be as thin as an iPod Touch. Rumors are also surfacing that Apple may use dual-cameras in the iPhone 7, which will offer high-quality image capturing and Apple may make a switch to OLED screen.
The iPhone 7 launch is not expected until at least September this year. As usual, Apple will remain mum about the new hardware and features of the upcoming device. Till then all rumors should be taken with a pinch of salt.
