Apple released an iPhone RED two months ago and smartphone enthusiasts knew then, that the new iPhone is dawning upon us – with the potential release of Apple’s 10th anniversary iPhone.
Here are a some changes and new features we might get in this year’s iPhone before we go into specifics:
• Aesthetics: No more Home button and new camera position
• Displays: OLED and Edge-to-edge displays
• Technologies: Wireless charging and new connection port, embedded Touch ID
AESTHETICS
The design from the render below shows strongly suggests how the new iPhone might look like. Though said it could be just one of many prototypes Apple might be testing, the leak shows some bold changes in design.
The Home button has always been (literally) the face of iPhones since the first generation in 2007.
However, this time in 2017 in exchange for a larger screen-to-body ratio, we may see the iconic button removed or relocated to the back of the iPhone.
Here is another leak showing the rear module of the iPhone. From the picture, it kinda confirms the relocation of the fingerprint scanner/TouchID to the back and the camera’s new vertical position.
Adding a little credibility to the leak is that the technical sheet is said to be from the infamous manufacturing facility in Shenzhen, as you can make out the words ‘FOXCONN’ at the bottom right of this picture.
Making it more intriguing is the official-looking blue seal at the right edge of this picture with the words ‘奇䅁管控’, which loosely translates to Strange Cases Regulatory Agency (although we have no idea what that means or who those guys are).
However, a recent leak from Twitter user @VenyaGeskin1 shows a dummy unit boasting a pill-shaped camera but strangely, no rear-placed fingerprint sensor was spotted at the back of the phone.
DISPLAYS
OLED technology is not a new technology, but not a lot of flagship devices have capitalised on it yet.As conventional LCDs cannot be flexed nor bent, LED technologies allows otherwise – as demonstrated by Samsung in 2014 when they first announced their first curved display flagship, the Galaxy Note Edge.
This does not mean that Apple is late to the game, though.
Apple Watches has already been on the OLED technology since its first generation, released in 2015, and it is believed and anticipated that the new iPhone will share the same OLED display technology.
This rumour came in early April when Samsung Electronics’ shares appreciated by 1.54% when Apple allegedly bought 70 million OLED panels, which sparked rumours that the upcoming iPhone will sport an OLED screen.
Though it is improbable for Apple to sell 70 million iPhones, we might see other Apple devices like the iPad adopt OLED technology.
This could also mean that the new iPhone might have curved displays - just like their arch rivals Samsung Galaxy S8!
TECHNOLOGIES
Common in many Android flagships, the iPhone might have wireless charging this time.Shown in this unconfirmed schematic is a large circular area inside the unit, probably suggesting that it is for a wireless charging receiver coil.
Also rumoured for Samsung’s Note 8, the new iPhone might get an embedded fingerprint sensor in its display.
In an effort to remove the Home button and to increase the screen size, it is highly probable that Apple is looking to do away with the Home button.
Because who says no to more screen real estate, right?
There are rumours floating around that the Home button will be replaced with a "function area" that will change depending on which app you are using, similar to the Touch Bar interface on the current MacBooks.
Last but not least is a rumour that has aged well with time.
Since the inclusion of the Macbook’s USB-C port in the Retina 2015 model, fans were torn on whether Apple should replace the lightning port with the USB-C.
After all, less cables and dongles is definitely better.
Also, a recent rumour suggested that we might see the audio jack making a comeback!
However, all these are just rumours for the time being, so take this with a pinch of salt. We would probably only find out whether these rumours are true when Apple officially announces the new iPhone this September.
What other changes would you like to see in this year’s new iPhone? Let us know in the comments.