It should be a surprise to no-one that 2015 largely played out like 2014, and much the same as the several years prior to that. Apple launched its annual iPhone revamp, in this case the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus , and the duo pretty much cleaned up in terms of sales and profits, outperforming all key rivals in the smartphone space. And, again, in record time too, only a few short months during the latter part of the year after the now-recurring September launch date.
So why are we talking about the iPhone 7 already? Well simple really. It may be months away, but because of the way Apple (and indeed, the entire smartphone industry) works, you can bet your bottom dollar that it is already well underway in its development of the iPhone 7. And, while Apple likes to try to surprise us, it's a predictable beast; it's almost certain the schedule for the iPhone 7 will see a launch in September 2016.
On top of this, there's also a lot of talk from the rumour mill that's worth taking into account. The tech rumour mill, in its current form, is just bonkers. It seems like a massive web of interconnected analysts, tipsters, and sources inside the Asian manufacturing and supply network that produces all these devices, and it is now faster than ever to produce details of forthcoming handsets well in advance of their launch, while also being stunningly thorough and accurate at the same time. There was a time when we simply heard of a new handset and a handful of details within about four-to-six months of its launch, but these days we're hearing about next-gen devices before the current-gen has even been officially announced. Like we said - bonkers. But welcome, of course!
Apple has traditionally launched its new handsets inside Q3/Q4. This has been the case for as long as most people can remember, but in 2016 there are rumours afoot that things could be about to change. A new report from the usually very reliable AppleInsider has all the details, but we have included the meat of the article below for the sake of brevity:
"Since the iPhone 5 launched on Sept. 21, 2012, all proceeding iPhone models have launched around that same late-September period. Most recently, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus arrived in the hands of consumers on Sept. 25," reports Apple Insider. "But that pattern could end next year with an earlier launch, a reliable source told AppleInsider on Wednesday. The same person has, in the past, provided accurate information about the Apple's future product plans."
That "earlier launch" likely refers to a new 4-inch iPhone model known as the iPhone 5se which is expected to land inside Q1 alongside the iPad Air 3 and the Apple Watch 2, as noted by 9to5Mac.
“Apple is currently aiming to unveil the new 4-inch the iPhone 5se, the iPad Air 3, and new Apple Watch band options at an event on Tuesday, March 15th, according to sources. We previously reported that Apple was on track to launch the new products during the week of March 14th. As the scheduled event is still a month-and-a-half away, the date could conceivably still shift or turn into an online announcement. The media event would be Apple’s first since September, and much like the fall event, is planned to touch on three major product categories for the company.”
This will make 2016 Apple’s busiest year for a very long time. Never before has the company launched so much hardware in such as short space of time. Even just a few years ago the idea of a dual-iPhone launch seemed bizarre — and now we’re looking at three (and one inside Q2, no less).
Is this a case of Apple striking while the iron’s hot? I’d argue, yes. The iPhone has never been more popular, so what better time to expand its reach in the mobile space? Record sales figures for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s are impressive, but factor in the iPhone 7 this year alongside a new and slightly cheaper 4in iPhone 5se and it is easy to see Apple performing another record year for 2016/17.
Apple iPhone 7 Streamlined Design Will Ditch Rear Antenna Bands And Camera Hump
Details emerging on February 3 suggest Apple may be attempting to streamline some exterior design features of the iPhone 7 for a much sleeker appearance. It's alleged that the phone will lose the long-standing antenna bands which wrap around the top and bottom of the back panel, and Apple may also have found a way to reduce the protrusion of the camera module to make it completely flat and flush with the bodywork - apparently a thinner camera module has allowed this.
“The rear-camera will sit within the aluminium casing, and antenna bands will sit only on the upper and lower edges, instead of extending across the width of the handset,” said the report. On the subject of the antenna bands, the report says the case will be so thin that radio waves will be able to pass freely through it, negating the need for bands on the exterior of the case.
The info comes via a source speaking to MacRumors, one who is claimed to have proved reliable in the past. Apart from this it's believed the design will stay largely the same, but while these changes sound like relatively minor cosmetic tweaks, bear in mind that it'll have taken quite a bit of clever engineering to make them happen - it's actually a pretty big change.
Note that the report states the antenna bands on the rear panel are being removed - it adds that the phone will not be devoid of antenna bands and they will still be present on the sides.
Apple iPhone 7 Plus To Feature Optical Zoom & Dual-Camera
According to some info released by well-regarded analyst Ming-Chi Kuo the iPhone 7 Plus may come equipped with a dual-camera configuration, complete with an optical zoom capability. Normally you'd be right to take this kind of thing with a pinch of salt, but as we've mentioned before, Ming-Chi Kuo has a near impeccable track record when it comes to making pin-point accurate predictions of Apple's plans, particularly when it comes to the iPhone series. In other words, when he speaks, we pay close attention!
Kuo sent a research memo out to his KGI Securities clients on January 27 describing how the larger phablet iPhone 7 variant, the iPhone 7 Plus, would feature an enhanced camera with dual-lens optics. The tech is said to come from Israeli company LinX, which Apple purchased inside 2015. The line goes that this tech can use multiple small lenses and apertures to capture better quality photos by working in tandem with clever software algorithms. Previously LinX has boasted of image quality approaching DSLR levels.
Kuo's note says that Apple will use two Sony sensors rated at 12MP, although they will feature different aperture sizes. He also says that one of these will have optical image stabilisation while the other will have a 2-3x optical zoom, which would be a first in smartphone imaging, although Apple does have patents for this kind of thing.
iPhone 6c To Be Called iPhone 5se
As we approach the suspected launch of a new product the rumours, leaks and reports about said product tend to pick up pace, highlighting new features, additional information and, every now and then, a complete, balls-out break down of everything about the product including pictures, pricing, specs and hardware.
This rarely happens with Apple stuff, however, because the company is extremely focus on security and secrecy around its unannounced products. The iPhone 6c -- or iPhone 5se, as it is now reportedly called -- is a prime example of this. We kind of know it is coming and we sort of know what it will be like BUT at the same time everything we think we know could be wrong.
Nevertheless, a new 4in handset from Apple is almost certain to happen. The leaks keep on coming and the most recent concerns the actual name of the handset, which, if you’ve been paying attention, will know has been on of the most hotly contested aspects of the handset. At first we thought it’d be called the iPhone 7c. Then the iPhone 6c. Now, however, reports suggest the handset will ACTUALLY be called iPhone 5se.
“The new device is internally codenamed ‘N69,’” reports 9to5Mac, “but the launch name will likely be the “iPhone 5se.” The “se” suffix has been described in two ways by Apple employees: as a “special edition” variation of the vintage 4-inch iPhone screen size and as an “enhanced” version of the iPhone 5s. Indeed, the upcoming “5se” features a design similar to 2013’s flagship but upgraded internals, software, and hardware features that blend the old design with modern technologies from the past two iPhone upgrades.”
Alleged iPhone 7 Display Components Leak
The iPhone 7 is coming - but you knew that already, right? Yeah it's not going to turn up until the the last few months of 2016, as always with Apple's release schedule, but still, that hasn't stopped the hotbed of anticipation that will no doubt continue to build. And fuelling that fire there's leaks like this, seemingly innocuous in that all we're seeing is a bunch of wires and bits, but those bits are said to be the display components of the iPhone 7, according to reputable source Apple Club Taiwan.
What we're looking at is the backlight panel for an iPhone device, complete with Apple branded wiring. However, although it could be for the iPhone 7 it does lack a 3D Touch mesh for Apple's pressure sensitive features. Either that may be added at a later stage of production, or this is a non-3D Touch model such as the iPhone 6c/iPhone 7c.
iPhone 7 To Feature HUGE Battery + NEW 256GB iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus In The Works
A new report from China’s MyDrivers reckons the Apple iPhone 7 Plus will feature a 3100mAh battery, a HUGE update on this year’s iPhone 6s Plus which features a 2570mAh battery inside it and still produces some of the best battery performance we’ve seen on any smartphone to date.
If the report is true, Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus will have a truly market-leading battery life and that in and of itself is a HUGE USP for a lot of users — both existing and new. Nevertheless, reports have suggested the next iPhone will be the thinnest EVER, so how the hell is Apple going to fit that big a battery inside it? Does it have some new type of ultra-thin battery tech? It did, after all, develop a new kind of stackable battery for its 2015 MacBook...
Apple is also planning a 256GB model iPhone as well, according to the report. This would of course be the top tier iPhone, sitting above the 128GB model and it would likely cost an absolute fortune — perhaps even over £1000. Would the addition of a new, top tier for storage see Apple nix its 16GB model and make the 32GB the base model? We bloody hope so! 16GB iPhones are about as useful as a bag of spiders!
iPhone 7 To Feature DRAMATICALLY Improved Speakers
A newly unearthed patent lends credence to the theory that Apple is keen on improving the iPhone 7’s stereo performance, bringing it more in-line with HTC’s BoomSound and the like. The how and why of this move is explained inside a patent, first published by 9to5Mac, which details how Apple engineers will utilise an “audio chamber” to create bigger, better sounds from the iPhone’s built in speaker system.
Put simply, what this means is Apple will cut chambers into the handset’s internal chassis which will allow better air flow and, thus, improve the quality and volume of sounds played through the phone’s speakers. Sort of like how an organ works in a Church. Interestingly, and unlike a lot of Apple patents, this one isn’t going to rot away on the floor of one of Apple’s R&D labs — it’s already been put to use inside the iPad Pro.
Lighting headphones AND Bluetooth "AirPods" coming to the iPhone 7?
Speaking of sound it is rumored that the iPhone 7 will come with headphones that connect via its Lightning port instead of the 3.5mm audio jack. This seems likely IF the rumors are true that Apple is ditching the trusty old 3.5mm jack on the iPhone 7.
Apple is also reportedly working on developing new wireless Beats headphones, according to 9to5Mac. In addition to new wireless headsets, 9to5 also says the company is developing a new Bluetooth in-ear headphone to be named "AirPods":
"Apple is prototyping a completely new set of Bluetooth earphones with the potential of launching the accessory alongside the iPhone 7 this fall. The new earphones are said to be completely wireless, which is to say that they do not even have a cable connecting the left and right ear pieces..."
"It’s expected that the in-development accessory will include a noise-cancelling microphone system, enabling phone calls and communication with Siri even without Apple’s prior in-line microphone and remote. In order to fit inside of the user’s ear, Apple will likely develop different sized ear sleeves for the hardware, similar to the approach used by Motorola and Bragi. Bragi’s headphones include a built-in button to answer calls, so Apple’s could have a control for managing calls and activating Siri.
"Apple has registered the “AirPods” trademark which may be what these are called. The headphones are planned to be a premium alternative to a new version of the EarPods, and are highly likely to be sold separately from the iPhone 7; a comparable model from Bragi will retail for $300."
Wireless charging too?
The iPhone 7 could also be the first to support wireless charging, according to Fast Company.
"Samsung’s flagship phones support wireless charging, for example, and our source says Apple will likely (finally) put the technology into a phone this year. Apple has considered including wireless charging in at least two previous iPhones."
Fasrt Company's report points out that the iPhone 7 wouldn’t be the first Apple product to do wireless charging. The Apple Watch has used wireless inductive charging since its launch in 2015...
Apple Has Five iPhone 7 Prototypes It's Mulling Over
It seems that Apple is still pondering the intricacies of what will feature in the next iPhone handset launched in 2016, as according to a new report the firm has as many as five different prototypes and is deliberating over which one (or ones) will be pushed forward for further development, and ultimately a release as the next flagship (or flagship variant).
Amongst the claimed features of said protoypes there is talk of a USB Type-C port, which is certainly a surprise considering Apple's love for its own proprietary (and relatively new) Lightning port. It's said this USB Type-C port also supports headsets. Other features include wireless charging, "multi-Force Touch", a dual-camera, and a return of the previously rumoured under-display fingerprint scanner; which many pre-launch rumours claimed would arrive in the iPhone 6/iPhone 6s series. Of course, that didn't happen.
It's also reiterated that Apple is testing AMOLED displays, although this isn't believed to be part of the iPhone 7 prototype testing program, as the introduction of AMOLED for iPhone isn't expected to appear in the next-generation and could remain unseen until 2018/2019, so around the iPhone 8/8s or thereabouts.
It's curious that there's no mention of previously rumoured waterproofing or the use of a proprietary headphone jack smaller than the standard 3.5mm version. The info comes via the usually vague Weibo sources in China, so do take it with a pinch or two of the salty stuff.
iPhone 7 WILL Be Thinnest EVER iPhone AND Feature 3GB of RAM
According to always-reliable analyst-come-tipster, Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 7 will be the thinnest iPhone Apple has ever produced at around 6mm, making it around the same size as current iPod Touch models.
But that’s not all -- Apple will also bump the memory up inside the iPhone 7 Plus model to 3GB of RAM as well, which should translate into super-fast performance when coupled with Apple’s next-generation A10 chipset.
“Kuo's latest details from Apple suppliers were published in a research note Tuesday evening with KGI Securities,” reports AppleInsider. “In it, he revealed that while the 4.7-inch ‘iPhone 7’ is expected to have the same 2 gigabytes of RAM as the iPhone 6s, the larger ‘iPhone 7 Plus’ will add another gigabyte for even greater performance.”
For the past two generations of iPhones, the only difference between the normal iPhone and the iPhone Plus model, besides display size, has been to do with imaging -- the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6s Plus both ship with Optical Image Stabilisation. This situation is likely to remain the same on the iPhone 7, as Apple looks to make the larger handset more attractive to its ever-growing base of users.
Whether making the next iPhones thinner is a good idea or not remains to be seen. Personally, I already find my iPhone 6 Plus way too thin -- I’d definitely prefer something a tad more substantial, as I am constantly dropping it while out and around. The iPhone 6s Plus is slightly thicker and the handset feels all the better for it.
According to new information circulating as of November 20, the iPhone 7 may, in fact, be the first waterproof iPhone (see more on this below). The word comes via research and analytics firmTrendForce. The company's report says waterproofing will be one of two defining new features, the other being the 3GB of RAM previously rumoured elsewhere. It also reiterates that we'll see a third, 4in display iPhone model launched in 2016 (the rumoured iPhone 6c/iPhone 7c/iPhone 5e).
Trendforce expects Apple to ship 260 million iPhones next year, a 12.5% increase compared to 2015, getting Apple 18.5% of the market. Samsung’s smartphone shipments are expected to reach 310 million (that’s a 4% drop, and 22% market share). TrendForce smartphone analyst Avril Wu said that “Samsung’s flagship devices for this year have hit the ceiling in specs, so the South Korean powerhouse will be straining to bring hardware innovations to its next smartphone release.”
According to a new, and somewhat upsetting rumour emerging on December 1, Apple may achieve a super-thin iPhone chassis by omitting the traditional 3.5mm universal headphone jack. The reasoning here seems pretty obvious, firstly, the use of the 3.5mm jack means you can't have a body thinner than 3.5mm, so to go thinner means using a proprietary jack - and Apple loves proprietary stuff. Naturally some users are a bit concerned that this will render their expensive headphones useless, as if Apple does follow this plan it will surely issue its own custom headphones with new handsets and sell its own variants thereafter.
“Japanese technology website Macotakara has reported that Apple is planning to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the next handset in an effort to make the next iPhone 1mm slimmer,”reports The Week. “The site and its sources have been accurate in the past, and the rumours – while radical – fit in with Apple's past changes, such as the introduction of the lightning port over the original 30-pin charging setup, as well as the latest MacBook using small USB Type C ports.”
“From Apple’s perspective,” notes Forbes, “the move makes a lot of sense. It can gain control over the last industry standard port on the iPhone for increased revenue and licensing potential. It can potentially create ‘smart earphones/headphones’ thanks to the direct digital connection to the phone which could tie into apps, notifications and more creating another differentiator from the competition. And last, but not least, sales of dedicated Lightning headphones would prove another powerful way to lock users into its ecosystem.”
This rumor is bolstered by a January 5 report that alleges to originate from Apple supply chain sources: the iPhone 7 will indeed be so crazy thin as to omit the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. The information comes via Chinese social network Weibo and claims that the 3.5mm jack is being ditched, in favour of a new connection method using Apple's Lightning port. It's also said there will be a Lightning-to-3.5mm adaptor and the phone will support wireless Bluetooth headsets too.
Apple's Lightning port method will apparently mean wired headphones will need to incorporate independent DAC and amp, as the port doesn't support analogue audio, unlike Apple's older 30-pin connector. That all means that as well as being fiddly an awkwardly proprietary, compatible headphones will probably be expensive and will up battery drain a little bit.
Apple Planning HUGE Design Update For iPhone 7
The iPhone 7 WILL be a huge update from this year's iPhone 6s. This is always the case and 2016/17 will be no exception. As is always the case with iPhone stuff, once the latest model is out the blocks, the rumour mill for the next-gen model kick into action. Again, this year is no exception.
Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster told clients 'we expect the iPhone 7 to sport a unique design from the iPhone 6/6S'. He believes it will do away with the home button, instead relying on the 3D Touch screen introduced in the 6S. 'As many have speculated, the addition of 3D Touch may provide Apple with a way to eliminate the home button on the phone and use the additional space to make the screen bigger or make the device smaller,' he said, according to Barrons.
And maybe it'll be a bit like this...
"A video and accompanying images from Marek Weidlich, a Czech designer, show the device with a top-to-bottom screen, which would be a first for any manufacturer," reports The Week. "The body of the phone looks like very much like an iPhone 6, with a home screen that appears to be based on an Apple Watch.
Weidlich's concept sketch is largely successful, says tech site BGR, but the inclusion of both the speaker and front-facing 'selfie' camera on the screen seem unlikely.
"The front-facing camera and speaker sticking out from the screen is something that Apple would definitely not make," the site says, "as these elements would significantly disrupt in-app UI and overall experience when it comes to gaming and video playback."
“Designer Hasan Kaymak put together a video that imagines what the iPhone 7 might have to offer. One of the radical design changes concerns the home button, which has been eliminated in this design. Instead, there’s a virtual home button, and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor is placed in a tiny Apple logo under the bigger, edge-to-edge display,” reports BGR. “Kaymak’s iPhone 7 concept features an aluminum unibody that lacks plastic antenna lines. The video also suggests the phone would not need a physical SIM card – instead, the connectivity would be handled by the device itself.”
Specs for the proposed iPhone include a 24-megapixel camera with support for third-party lenses and a large 3,000 mAh battery. Truly, the stuff of DREAMS.
Intel Has BIG Plans For The iPhone 7... Apparently
In October 2015 the Internet thought they had another “gate” to froth over when it came to the iPhone–this time “Chipgate”. In the iPhone 6s the A9 chip is designed by Apple, but the chip is actually manufactured by one of two companies: TSMC or Samsung. Early testing appeared to show that iPhones with the Samsung-made A9 chip had significantly worse battery life than the A9 chip made by TSMC. However, Arstechnica later put the kibosh on that.
Yet rumors had it that Apple wasn’t happy with the bad press and shortly after another rumor leaked that Apple is considering using Intel chips in next year’s iPhone. That sent the tech world into a tizzy. Could the iPhone 7 feature Intel Inside?
Eh, kind of. VentureBeat, who broke the story, says that Intel has 1,000 engineers dedicated to working on a chip for Apple’s next iPhone. Yet they state that Apple hasn’t hired them to do this. Rather, Intel has so many people working on the chip to perfect it in hopes of getting it right and winning a contract from Apple.
So are they designing the next Ax chip? No. When most people heard Intel and Apple were working on a chip for the iPhone 7, they assumed it was the CPU chipset. In the iPhone 7 this chipset will probably be called the A10 (the one that comes after the current A9 in the iPhone 6s). However, VentureBeat clearly explains that Intel’s team of 1,000 engineers is dedicated to working on the 7360 LTE modem chip. It’s a chip designed by Intel that lets your device talk to carriers’ 4G networks so your device can send and receive data. Intel has stated this chip will ship to handset makers in 2016, but it appears they are trying to fine tune it with the iPhone’s architecture to win an LTE chipset contract from Apple.
Qualcomm currently supplies the LTE chips in iPhones. Their 9X45 LTE chip is inside all iPhones–and they have been for years. But if Apple is at least giving Intel a shot, many thought that meant there is something wrong with Qualcomm’s chips. But that's not the case. Matter of fact, the primary reason Apple is willing to work with Intel now to see if they can pull off an adequate LTE chip is so the company can pit Intel against Qualcomm.
Why would they want to do that? Because–as it did with TSMC and Samsung, who both make the A9 chip–if there are two LTE chipmakers Apple can use it gives Apple a stronger hand in negotiations. If Intel and Qualcomm can both make the chip, Apple knows that will drive their prices lower as they compete to get the Cupertino company’s business. In short, Apple’s component costs will be lower, which means they’ll make more profits from the iPhone.
So don't get your hopes up about the iPhone 7 having an Intel CPU. But that doesn’t mean that the iPhone 7s or iPhone 8 won’t have a CPU made by Intel. Matter of fact, Venturebeat alludes to the fact that this possible inclusion of an Intel LTE chip could be a test run to see if Apple should consider moving its system-on-a-chip (SOC) Ax series manufacturing over to Intel from Samsung and TSMC.
As VentureBeat points out: “While the SOC would be created from top to bottom by Apple’s formidable chip designers, Intel would get the job of fabricating the SOC using its 14-nanometer process. Samsung and TSMC, which currently share the fabrication of the iPhone’s A9 chip, also have 14-nanometer processes, but those foundries are said to compromise by making the interfaces with a 20-nanometer process. Intel’s foundry, by contrast, uses a 14-nanometer process ‘from front to back,’ as our source said. Intel’s process, our sources said, can create silicon chips with superior density and gate pitch.”
Matter of fact, Intel is saying they could have a 10-nanometer process SOC in just a few years time. Chips made with a 10-nanometer process would not only be smaller, but they would be more powerful and more power efficient. That means your iPhone would be more powerful and faster than ever, while also serving up better battery life.
Further, it’s believed that Intel could even combine their LTE chipset directly onto a possible future Ax SOC, which would make the iPhone even MORE power efficient. And that is something that would interest Apple very much.
iPhone 7 To Be Waterproof!?
Apple’s next iPhone -- the iPhone 7 -- might be waterproof. Multiple reports have popped up online claiming Apple is now testing waterproof iPhone 7 prototypes in China. Whether or not the finished product will actually be waterproof remains to be seen, but it is a pretty significant development for the company. Plus, some Android phones have had this feature for years now.
“Mac Otakara reports prototype iPhone 7 units are being produced with waterproof and dust-proof features,” notes Apple Insider, “suggesting Apple is investigating a more "ruggedized" handset. While specifics go unmentioned, Apple could be exploring methods of transplanting technology from Apple Watch, a device specifically designed to accommodate active lifestyles. For example, iPhone 7 might sport an encapsulated system-on-chip processor and water-tight gaskets. More exotic solutions include applying hydrophobic coatings to sensitive electrical components via a vapor deposition process, or integrating silicone seals at water ingress points, according to patent filings.”
While Android devices have been around for a while with waterproofing, it seems there was an upsurge of said water-friendly devices in 2013/2014 which appears to be dying off. A few Motorola phones still pack waterproofing, as do the handsets of the leader in the waterproofing arena - Sony. The curious thing is that Sony has made its phones from glass and metal for a while now, but still finds itself able to offer waterproofing. HTC has long avoided adding waterproofing to its metal HTC One flagship line for fear of ruining the design. Meanwhile Samsung added waterproofing to a few Galaxy S flagships when they were still made of plastic, but with the firm's recent switch to glass and metal "premium" design, waterproofing had been axed. It seems there's an argument that making a metal and glass "premium" handset, such as the iPhone, waterproof is more difficult, but as Sony proves time and again, not impossible. Could the iPhone 7 be the first waterproof iPhone?
Apple A10 Hexa-Core Processor Rumoured
Whispers have already begun to emerge regarding the next-gen processor technology which is apparently being planned to go inside 2016's iPhone 7. Rumour-mongers are already calling it the A10 chip, in line with Apple's chip naming convention. While current-gen hardware runs on the Apple A9 chip, it's believed that as usual Apple will release a new iPad Air before the end of 2015 housing an improved A9X chip - this will then be improved upon in time for the next iPhone as the A10 chip.
The word comes via sources on Chinese social network Weibo, who claim that Apple will be focusing on multithread processing and will, because of this, be developing the A10 as a hexa-core (6-core) CPU. It's claimed this will use either a 14nm or 10nm semiconductor production method, possibly manufactured by existing Apple partners TSMC or Samsung, both of which are set up for this kind of production.
The last noteworthy snippet of info from the Weibo report is that the source is allegedly the same one who accurately described the A9 chip ahead of launch. Fingers crossed then.
New Patent For Better Antenna and ZERO Plastic Filed By Apple
A new patent filed by Apple reveals the company is looking to get rid of those unsightly plastic antenna bands that flank the back of the handset. The patent, which was filed recently, details how materials such as metal oxides could be used to create a new composite metal material that looks and feels like metal, but will still allow radio frequencies to pass through.
Here's how Apple explains it in its patent:
"Many computing devices have outer housings and coverings that include metallic surfaces giving the devices an aesthetically pleasing and durable look and feel. Computing devices can also include any of a number of complex functional components. For example, many laptops include capacitive touch pads that allow a user to control movement of a cursor. Mobile phones and tables have radio frequency antennas that allow communication via radio frequency transmission.
One design challenge associated with computing devices is maintaining a sleek and consistent appearance of a metallic outer enclosure for housing the various complex internal components. Since metal is not radio frequency transparent, metal is generally a poor choice of material when the devices utilize electromagnetic wave transmission, such as radio frequency transmission for communication. In addition, metal is generally a high capacitive material, and as a result, not used to cover capacitive touch pads, touch screens and other capacitive sensors. Accordingly, portions of the housings that cover antennas and touch sensors are made of a non-metallic material such as plastic or glass. Unfortunately, plastic surfaces and glass surfaces have different visual qualities than metallic surfaces, which result in a visible break in the metallic surface of the housing. This visible break can detract from the smooth and continuous look of the metallic housing."
The patent wouldn’t just apply to iPhones, either. Macs and iPads would likely benefit from the technology too, as well as future Apple Watch designs. How long it will take Apple to get this technology implemented inside its products remains to be seen; patents take a good long while to appear inside technology if at all.
Sorce : http://www.knowyourmobile.com/mobile-phones/apple-iphone-6c/23153/iphone-7-iphone-7-plus-and-iphone-6c-release-date-specs-features-iOS-10
No comments :
Post a Comment