A new report has emerged suggesting that Apple's next iPhone, the purported iPhone 7, will not feature big design changes.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the company may be planning to break with its tradition of making major changes to its flagship iPhone every two years. Rather, the report says that the company will only pack in "subtle changes" in the handsets launching this fall, citing anonymous sources familiar with Apple's plans.
"Among other things, those people said, Apple's newest phones will maintain the current 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch displays," reads WSJ's report. "Those are the sizes of the larger-display models Apple introduced in 2014, and refreshed with newer models last fall."
The biggest among the rumored changes for the iPhone 7 models is the exclusion of the headphone plug. This could then make the phones thinner as compared to their predecessors. On top of that, this could also beef up the water resistance of the handsets.
The iPhone 7 models will reportedly boast a so-called Lightning connector that will be used for connecting the headphones and charging the smartphones.
Bigger Design Changes Set For The 2017 iPhone
The WSJ also claims that Apple may instead be cooking up a major design for the 2017 iPhone, in time for the original iPhone's 10th anniversary.
According to sources, the modifications may range from an "edge-to-edge organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, screen" to eliminating the home button. The model could instead sport a Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the phone's display.
The sources also added that Jony Ive, Apple's design chief, has "for years" pushed for the phone to look like a "single sheet of glass." If the report holds true, then the company might be pushing the iPhone into this direction.
The sources also claim that a few features the company is hoping to incorporate into the next iPhones, including the curved screens, are still not ready for this year's iPhone models.
Since the iPhone will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in the market in 2017, it seems logical that the Cupertino-based firm would be preparing for something big.
This year's iPhones are poised to come out in September. While they are believed to sport an almost similar design to the present models, it is anticipated that they would rock some handy features, such as the dual-camera system.
The WSJ's report backs up an earlier speculation suggesting that the iPhone 7 would bear similarities to the present iPhone 6 and 6s.
Since there is nothing official yet, it is wise to take this story with a dose of skepticism.
What do you think about this new iPhone 7 rumor? Let us know in the comments section below.
