iPhone 7 release date rumours, new features and images: iPhone 7 'gets super-toughened screen with built-in Touch ID sensor'

When is the iPhone 7 coming out, and what new features and design changes can we expect in the next iPhone? We round up all the iPhone 7 release date rumours and some beautiful new concept images: here's everything we know about Apple's iPhone 7.

When is the new iPhone 7 coming out? What new features and design changes can we expect in the iPhone 7? And will it even be called the iPhone 7?
The iPhone 7 is already a hot topic, even though the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have only been out for a few months. You may be surprised by how much speculation there is about the iPhone 7 already: rumours about the iPhone 7's release date, its design, specs and features, and even its name.
In 2015 we're sure to see a next-generation iPhone. But what will the new iPhone 7 (or perhaps iPhone 6s or simply 'New iPhone') be like? What new features can we expect in the iPhone 7? And when will the iPhone 7 come out? We round up the evidence to bring you everything there is to know about the iPhone 7 so far.
Bookmark this page and come back regularly for the latest iPhone 7 information, clues, hints and rumours, as well as any leaked photos of the iPhone 7 that emerge; we'll update the article whenever we hear any worthwhile new information on the subject.
Main sections in this article:

iPhone 7 rumours: What is the iPhone 7?

Sorry if that sounds obvious, but it's not as simple a question as it sounds. The iPhone 7 isn't the seventh iPhone (the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were the ninth and tenth iPhones respectively, so that ship sailed a long time ago) but it's what we are for convenience calling Apple's next large-screen (phablet-form) iPhone launch.
At the moment Apple sells iPhones in three sizes: with 4-inch screens (the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s); with a 4.7-inch screen (the iPhone 6) and with a 5.5-inch screen (the iPhone 6 Plus). We're currently working on the basis that Apple will make at least one new model in all three sizes, and for now we're choosing to call those theoretical devices iPhone 6c, iPhone 6s and iPhone 7.

(However, an anonymous source in Apple's supply chain recently claimed that the company isn't currently planning to make another 4-inch iPhone. We're not sure about that - and think it would be a mistake for Apple - but you can read more about the rumour in our iPhone 6c round-up.)
[Find out about the Apple Watch: Complete Guide to Apple Watch: release date, UK price, specs, size & weight]

iPhone 7 rumours: What will the next iPhone be called? Will it be iPhone 6s or iPhone 6c instead?

Before we get on to specs and other technical details, one of the first things we want to address is the name of the next iPhone. If Apple sticks to its traditional naming conventions, then it's more likely that the 2015 iPhone will be called the iPhone 6s instead of the iPhone 7. (This could be accompanied by a cheaper iPhone 6c.)
However, it's been rumoured for a few years now that Apple is considering dropping the 'S' naming convention (and the more recent 'C' convention), as it's beginning to be perceived negatively. After all, it does make it seem like it's not a completely new device, but rather a stepping stone to the next iPhone.
We won't know what the next iPhone is called until Apple confirms it, of course.
Another option that's been proposed by keen Aple followers is that the iPhone 7 will be called the iPhone Air, following the example of the MacBook Air and iPad Air lines. But that's a bit wacky for our tastes.

iPhone 7 release date rumours: When is the iPhone 7 coming out?

If Apple sticks to its traditions, we can expect the iPhone 7 to arrive in mid-September 2015. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were unveiled on 9 September 2014 (and released to the public on 19 September); the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s were unveiled on 10 September 2013; the iPhone 5 was unveiled on 12 September. There's a pattern there.

However, it's possible - and has been widely speculated - that Apple will begin releasing new iPhones twice a year, to help it keep up with the ever growing and ever improving competition. This would mean an iPhone launch event in the spring of 2015 followed by another in the autumn.
In this case we would expect less dramatic enhancements in each update: perhaps an 'S'-class update in the spring followed by the full iPhone 7 in autumn. Or Apple might choose to update its 4-inch smartphones in one set of announcements and its larger phones in the other.
Indeed, another tech site says it has a source in the supply chain that backs all this up - claiming that, while the iPhone 7 will have to wait until September, the iPhone 6s will be launched in spring alongside the Apple Watch.
It's an interesting theory, but if we were betting men and women Macworld would put its money on a September launch for the next range of iPhones.
You can also read our full first look review of the Apple Watch, and our Apple Watch Release Date story, including UK pricing for the Apple Watch.

iPhone 7 rumours: Specifications

It's time to get a bit more technical. Let's talk iPhone 7 specs.

iPhone 7 specs: Screen size

Most importantly, what screen size will the iPhone 7 have? There are a number of competing theories.
Of the three smartphone screen sizes Apple currently sells, the 4.7 inches of the iPhone 6 appears to be the favourite among customers. The iPhone 6 Plus and its 5.5-inch screen strikes many people as too big; the 4-inch iPhone 5s seems too old-fashioned and titchy to many more. 4.7 inches may be the sweet spot for the average Apple fan.
But it seems unlikely that Apple will give up on its other screen sizes as easily as that. For one thing, there are definitely smartphone users out there who still value smaller devices: those with smaller hands, those who prefer to use their smartphone one-handed, people who just don't like change. (That last category includes the author of this article, to be quite candid. I wrote a little about the significance of very small alterations in the size and shape of smartphones in an article that I called The handbag theory.)

Apple may seek to placate this market by updating its 4-inch line-up. And while it's been consistently outsold by the iPhone 6, the iPhone 6 Plus hasn't been a sales disaster either - and it's an important product for Apple in terms of prestige and acquiring a foothold in new markets.
For simplicity, therefore, we're predicting three new iPhones from Apple over the next year or so. An update of the iPhone 5s with a 4-inch screen, which we're calling the iPhone 6c; a 4.7-inch update of the iPhone 6, which we're calling the iPhone 6s; and a new phablet, based on the iPhone 6 Plus, with a 5.5-inch screen. This last update is the one we're calling the iPhone 7, and will be the focus of this article.  
[We have the latest rumours about the Apple iCar here, plus read why we don't think Apple will make an iCar]

iPhone 7 specs rumours: 3D display

The iPhone 7 could feature a 3D display, according to Economic Daily News, which claims that Apple supply chain partner TPK is working on a project that relates to "naked eye 3D screen" - in other words, a 3D screen that doesn't require glasses to see.

iPhone 7 specs rumours: Camera

When it comes to the iPhone 7's camera, the latest reports suggest that it could offer a significant improvement over the camera found in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. In fact, it could be the biggest camera jump in the history of the iPhone.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber recently said in a podcast on his blog that a source claims the iPhone 7's camera will have a two-lens system that could help allow users to capture "DSLR-quality imagery."
A dual-lens design offers a number of advantages over the present (admittedly highly acclaimed) iPhone camera setup, including the option to add an optical zoom. It's also been suggested that future iPhone cameras will have better performance in low-light conditions.
For a real-world example of the technology, the HTC One M8 already features a rear-facing camera that uses a dual-lens system. (See iPhone 6 vs HTC One M8 comparison.)

iPhone 7 specs rumours: Processor

Samsung is already being pegged as the supplier of Apple's A9 processor for its next generation of smartphones. The processors are expected to be manufactured using a 14-nanometer design. The new chips are expected to be smaller, more efficient and of course more powerful.
The A8 chip uses a 20-nanometer process, and the majority are manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Analysts have been reporting for some time that Samsung wants to once again become the sole manufacturer of Apple's chips, and has been offering competitive prices in an attempt to convince Apple to strike a deal; and according to the Inquirer, it has (at least partially) succeeded.
The site, basing its claims on sources quoted in a Korean-language news page, says that Samsung will make three quarters of the A9 chips used in the iPhone 7. (We still believe that Apple itself will design the A9 chip, as it has done with A-class processor chips in the past.)

iPhone 7 rumours: New features

There's a lot more to the iPhone 7 than screen size, of course. What new features can we expect to see?

iPhone 7 new features: 'Joystick'-style Home button for gamers

The newest rumour is pretty far out there, and we're not sure it's realistic to expect this to appear in any Apple devices for a while yet. But it's definitely an interesting idea.
Essentially the concept is this: the Home button on the iPhone 7 would be able to 'pop up' on a little spring and turn into a sort of mini-joystick for playing games. There are plenty of iOS games that would benefit from a hardware controller (this explains the enduring popularity of Bluetooth gaming controller accessories) and this sounds like a lot of fun.
But gamers remain only one section of the iPhone's audience, and it seems like a risky idea to potentially compromise the resilience of everyone's iPhone Home button (which has famously been very prone to breakage in the past) for a feature that would benefit only some users.
A wacky idea that we're not convinced by, then - but one that is backed up by an Apple patent: application 20150015475, originally filed on 9 July 2013 but only published by the US Patent Office on 15 January 2015. So somebody at Cupertino thinks the idea is worth a thought.

(Bear in mind, however, that Apple often patents ideas that it doesn't actually build - to cover itself for future changes of plan, to avoid patent trolling, and perhaps even to mislead rivals about its direction.)

iPhone 7 new features: Force Technology

We discuss this in more detail in our discussion of the iPhone 6s, but let's briefly talk about something called Force Technology.
Force Technology is the touch-sensitive display technology that Apple is already using in its Apple Watch, and enables the device to differentiate between a tap and a press. (This is important, given the restricted dimensions of the Apple Watch's display - the extra gestures this enables are vital to the user experience.)
Well, one rumour suggests that this will also be used on the next generation of iPhones. As on the Apple Watch, this would open up a finer and wider range of gestures and more sophisticated interactions, but the case for including it here is not quite as compelling.

iPhone 7 new features: Wireless charging

It's a perennial rumour for upcoming Apple devices, but wireless charging could be a reality this time around: it didn't arrive with the iPhone 6 as some had predicted, but was introduced to the Apple Watch as inductive charging.
Wireless charging sounds amazing, but at the moment inductive charging has a very short range; so you wouldn't be able to just sit at your desk and have your iPhone (in your pocket) charge from the plug several feet away. Rather, you'd place the device on a wired mat. Convenient, but not quite as space-age as it might have sounded when we talked about 'wireless charging'.
(Indeed, this isn't by any means a brand-new idea. There have been inductive charging cases available for the iPhone for some time, and nearly two years ago we were talking about the technology appearing in what we were then referring to as the iPad 5: iPad 5 patent: inductive Smart Cover contains battery.)
The artist Yasser Farahi, whose work appears lower down in the images and videos section, has come up with a mocked-up advert for this feature:

iPhone 7 new features: New charger

In August 2014, rumours about a new iPhone charger emerged, suggesting that the USB part of the charger could be reversible, just like the Lightning connector.
A video showing what's believed to be a new charger for a future with a reversible fully reversible USB Lightning cable emerged on the web earlier in 2014. It shows the USB being plugged in to the adapter both ways, in the same way that the Lightning connector itself is reversible.

iPhone 7 new features: iOS 9

iOS 9 is also likely to introduce new features at a software level. Among the features we're hoping to see in iOS 9: improved parental controls, group FaceTime calls and split-screen app multitasking.

iPhone 7 new features: Apple patents

Looking closer at Apple's patent portfolio, we can come up with some further iPhone 7 features that could well be on the cards for 2015. Face recognition could be used to unlock the device, or the entire display of the iPhone 7 could be a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, eliminating the need for a Home button and making room for a larger display.
Take a look at our Apple patent round-up for more features that Apple is investigating for future products.

iPhone 7 rumours: Design

What you shouldn't expect from the iPhone 7 is a design that's radically different from the iPhone 6. Apple usually keeps the same design for two generations of the iPhone, so the slimmer, lighter and rounder design of the iPhone 6 is expected to carry over to the iPhone 7, too.

However, if Apple does decide to go for a new design for the iPhone 7, we actually think it could be thicker than the iPhone 6, with what Apple calls "sidewall displays".
Apple has published a patent relating to such displays, which hints at a future iPhone with a display that extends onto the sides of the device, providing interactive or touch sensitive portions that give access to the slide to unlock functionality, music player controls, messaging readout, caller ID, system controls and more.
It's possible that Apple will use different materials to make the iPhone 7 more durable. Before the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were unveiled there was speculation that Apple would use Sapphire glass for the display and Liquidmetal for the chassis.
You can also read our full first look review of the Apple Watch, including UK pricing information.

iPhone 7 design rumours: Touch ID built into the screen

In the continuing march of miniaturisation, one of the elements of the iPhone design that's proved resistant to shrinkage is the bezel below the screen - it can't get much smaller than it already is because it needs to house the Home button. Which is why a recurring theory is that Apple will extend the screen down past the Home button, or even incorporate the Touch ID sensor that lives in the recent iPhones' Home button into the touchscreen.
There's a patent to back up the latter theory, too. Patent application number 20150036065, for "a  fingerprint sensor ... incorporated in a display stack in an electronic device", was filed by a number of Apple's engineers in April 2014 and published recently. Here are some of the accompanying illustrations (although you should bear in mind that patent images are almost universally ugly, and shouldn't bear much resemblance to what the finished design would look like):


We're still not completely sure what this design would achieve, since (as you can see in the iPhone illustration in Fig. 1) it doesn't even do away with the Home button, and therefore doesn't increase the amount of screen area.
And we've not been blown away by the reliability of the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s, which seems to be hyper-sensitive to any quantity of grease sitting on the Home button. Given how smudged an iPhone screen can get, this seems like it could be even worse, even before you factor in potential complications of embedded the sensor within the screen elements.
In other words, this seems like a long shot, at least for now.

iPhone 7 design rumours: Sapphire glass...

Apple is already using sapphire in the display of the Apple Watch, and it's possible that the company is now ready to import this material into its smartphone lin-up. Sapphire glass is more durable than Gorilla Glass, so could be an ideal material to use for the bigger display.
Apple was backing a Sapphire plant in Arizona - run by GT Advanced Technologies - that could have been used to manufacture 200 million 5-inch iPhone displays per year, according to reports. But that company has now been declared bankrupt and was unable to meet Apple's demands.
There could be a further twist, however. New reports suggest that long-term Apple supplier Foxconn is gearing up to build its own sapphire plant in Asia, and could be able to take GT Advanced Technologies' place.
Foxconn's planned plant in Taiwan will cost it $2.6bn to set up, but could give it a huge advantage as companies jostle to be involved in the production of the next iPhone.
Sapphire vs Gorilla Glass: What is Sapphire glass, what are its advantages, and why is it a good idea for the next iPhone?

iPhone 7 design rumours: ...or super-hardened 'Project Phire' Gorilla Glass

Sapphire glass sounds nice, but don't write off Gorilla Glass (the material used on current iPhones) just yet.
Corning, the company that makes Gorilla Glass, has responded to the looming threat of Sapphire glass. It announced a new development at the start of February 2015: an ultra-hardened composite material that at this point is known by the name Project Phire.
At an investor meeting, James Clappin, president of Corning Glass Technologies, explained how the firm expects to beat sapphire: "We told you last year that sapphire was great for scratch performance but didn't fare well when dropped. So we created a product that offers the same superior damage resistance and drop performance of Gorilla Glass 4 with scratch resistance that approaches sapphire."
Cnet has the full story.

iPhone 7 design rumours: Liquidmetal chassis

Liquidmetal is also said to be under consideration as a material for the chassis, because it's more durable than aluminium: a smaller quantity of this material can be used to achieve the same degree of strength as the metal used for Apple's current iPhones. This would enable Apple to keep the bigger iPhone light and thin, despite the bigger screen.
(Device strength may be on Apple's mind right now, following the 'Bendgate' controversy that afflicted the iPhone 6 Plus.)
Plus, removing the bezels in the bigger iPhone to create an edge-to-edge display would mean Apple could introduce a bigger display without the need to increase the overall size of the iPhone too much.
It's also possible that Apple will bring some other elements of the technology used in the Apple Watch to the iPhone 7. For example, the Apple Watch's display can detect finger pressure, so the iPhone 7's display (or perhaps just a portion of it) could be capable of doing the same.

iPhone 7 images and videos

We haven't got any leaked images or photos of the iPhone 7 yet, and don't expect to for some time. But some talented designers and illustrators have already put their minds to work on coming up with iPhone 7 concept images: artists' impressions, if you like, of what the iPhone 7 could look like. (See also: The 10 weirdest Apple concept art designs.)
The most recent concept renders come from Yasser Farahi, the artist who also produced the image at the top of this article. Here are some of Farahi's stunning designs for the iPhone 7:


As you can see above, Farahi has come up with some smart new colour options for the iPhone 7 - more varied than on the iPhone 6 series, but more restrained and adult than on the iPhone 5c. Here are the new 'wine' and 'copper' options in more detail:


Take a look at Farahi's site for more.
Designer Martin Hajek is well known for his work in this area. He's created some beautiful images of a predicted iPhone 7.
Hajek's iPhone 7 design concept is based on the idea that screen of the next iPhone will reach all the way to the edges, allowing the phone itself to be slightly smaller than the current iPhone 6 while accommodating the same amount of screen space.



The illustration above shows a second concept that Hajek has come up with: putting holes in the display for the Touch ID button, speaker and front-facing camera



They're lovely, aren't they? There are lots more iPhone 7 concept images on Martin Hajek's website.
If that's not enough for you, we're also starting to see concept images of the iPhone 8. (Yep, the iPhone 8. This is getting ridiculous.)
On the Behance website, designer Steel Drake has posted some images of what the iPhone 8 might look like when it arrives a few years from now. This concept of the iPhone 8 is entirely covered in glass apart from metal sides.



We'll be updating this article with more iPhone 7 information as we get it. As soon as 2015 arrives, expect iPhone 7 rumours to start flowing in thick and fast.

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