Following the unveiling of its flagship smartphones, the iPhones 6s and 6s Plus, Apple is now expected to launch the iPhone 7. The successor of both handsets have consistently made it to the rumor mill as its specs are already predicted by some.
According to Tech Times, the A10 chip is expected to be included in the upcoming iPhone 7.This newest chipset by Apple is more powerful than its predecessor, the A9X chip. It was also reported that the Apple SoC will have six cores and will be manufactured solely by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) using its 16nm FinFET technology. The A10 will be a system-in-package chip where the RAM, storage and other components are put together in a single chip to occupy less space for the phone's internals.
It is also speculated that the new iPhone will sport a sapphire OLED display which is a big change from the strengthened glass LCD displays of the current flagships. The rumor isn't without merit though as Apple already tried to use sapphire displays for the previous iPhones, but failed.
Despite this, iPhone 7 is reportedly bringing its flags up with the waterproof capability it might sport, though the iPhone 6s is already water-resistant. This feature is not yet advertised by Apple, but a couple of patents show how Apple plans to make its smartphones waterproof. In fact, one patent reveals speakers that can expel liquid from inside the iPhone using sound. A newer patent also shows electronic shutting ports to keep liquid outside.
Furthermore, International Business Times added that Apple's journey for thinner smartphones would still continue as the iPhone 7 could be even thinner. According to the outlet, it was suggested by a research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo that Apple may try to build the handset 6.5 mm thick -about the thickness of the iPod Touch.
There are also talks that the 7 Plus version of Apple's next iPhone could pack as much as 3 gigabytes of RAM. The smaller model is expected to still feature 2 GB RAM which is same with iPhone 6S and 6S Plus but there is no information yet if Apple will also increase the base storage available on the iPhone from 16 gigabytes.
Another area Apple is speculated to be exploring is wireless charging. One way it might add this to the iPhone 7 is through the use of coil of a built-in speaker or vibration motor to play double duty as a wireless charger. Another choice for Apple is the technology released by Qualcomm which can allow wireless charging through metal smartphone bodies.
Expert Reviews reported that the iPhone 6S didn't have Force Touch, but instead used a new pressure sensor in the screen called 3D Touch. The huge difference is that 3D Touch can sensor two degrees of pressure, giving more ways to interact with the phone while the Force Touch can only sense between a tap and a hard press.
These features are all based on speculations and rumors, considering Apple Inc's tight secrecy in the development of the next iPhone. Despite this, it is still likely for the device to be launched sometime in the second half of 2016 if the timeline of its previous releases is followed.
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