Apple iPhone 7 price, release date, news and rumours: Renders show next handset in stunning ‘Space Black’ finish

The iPhone 7 won’t have a 16GB storage option

In 2016 – or 2015 and 2014 for that matter – 16GB isn’t really enough space for a smartphone. When you think of all the apps we use, along with all the content we create, it’s surprising that Apple still offers a 16GB version of the current iPhone 6s. Analyst Kevin Wang claims that Apple will produce the iPhone 7 with a minimum 32GB of memory, which makes sense to us. When you consider just how much high-res content the Apple iPhone 7 will generate, and how many apps you’ll install, now might be the perfect time to ditch the 16GB option. The company first introduced the 16GB variant in 2008, and it has remained as the base model ever since the iPhone 5 in 2012.

256 GB top storage variant

Alongside the 32GB base storage variant, Apple is reportedly also planning to bump up the storage on the top model – taking it up to 256GB. However, for now, it is uncertain whether the top variant would only be available on the iPhone 7 Plus or 7 Pro, or whether it would extend to the smaller screened iPhone 7. A Weibo user claims that the entire iPhone 7 range will come in 32-, 128- and 256GB storage options while the iPhone 7 Plus and 7 Pro will be available in 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB variants. There’s also rumours that the iPhone 7 Plus might feature a 256GB SanDisk NAND flash chip.

Three variants

Apple will launch the three variants of 7 series – iPhone7, iPhone 7 Plus, and the iPhone 7 Pro.

Smart Connector

A leaked picture of the iPhone 7 appears to show a Smart Connector. The Smart Connector first introduced with the iPad Pro for connecting the Smart Keyboard Cover and other accessories like charging docks.

3.5mm headphone jack

Multiple sources are now claiming Apple is looking to do away with traditional headphones, meaning no 3.5mm jack-support on the Apple iPhone7. It will be replaced by a lightning port. If introduced, the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack it may be the single biggest difference for consumers. Rumours of a Bluetooth or Lightning-powered set of EarPods have accompanied these leaks.

Dual camera

While the iPhone 7 will stick to a single camera lens, the dual camera setup is expected to be embedded in the larger iPhone7Plus. This will be the first time Apple dabbles in the dual camera feature, and it will be interesting to see how the dual camera setup changes the quality of the pictures produced, from better low-light performance to improved colour accuracy and faster autofocus. A recent case render also tipped the dual camera setup on the iPhone7 Plus, alongside inclusion of the Smart Connector.

Deep Blue or Space Black colour variant

Until now, we’ve expected the iPhone7 to come in the same shades as the iPhone 6s – but a new rumour suggests iPhone 7Plus will be available in deep blue instead of the traditional space grey. For the last few years, the Space Grey colour has changed depending on the device you buy, so perhaps this is more of a tweak on the current Space Grey. The same publication soon said Apple will introduce a Space Black colour instead, replacing Space Grey.

3GB of RAM

To accommodate the dual camera setup, the iPhone 7Plus will increase its RAM size to 3GB, while the iPhone 7 will only use 2GB.

Stereo audio

A few images have been leaked showing speaker grilles on both the sides of the Lightning port hinting that the iPhone 7 might come with stereo speakers.

Four speakers

A recent leak has tipped that the Apple iPhone 7 will come with two sets of stereo speakers, like the iPad Pro, two on the top edge of the phone and two more on the bottom.

Optical image stabilisation

While the Apple iPhone 7 Plus is tipped to sport a dual camera setup, both the Apple iPhone 7 and 7 Plus variants are tipped to come with optical image stabilisation (OIS).

Force Touch home button

A recent leak tips that Apple may use its Force Touch technology on the iPhone 7’s home button. The report claims that Apple is redesigning the physical home button to replace it with one that sits flush with the body, and provides haptic feedback.

Antenna bands

The antenna bands at the back are expected to disappear, giving the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus a sleek simple mono-coloured back design. Leaks suggest that the bands will be shifted to the top and bottom edges instead. A more recent rear panel leak once again points to this. An image from a Weibo user shows off the repositioned antenna lines, which now curve along the edges of the phone instead of striping across the back of it.

Apple iPhone 7 price and Launch Date

The cost of Apple’s handset has remained fairly consistent over the years, so we expect the Apple iPhone7 to launch at around the same price as the iPhone 6s.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus were unveiled on 9 September 2015 and were released shortly after, and prior to that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus also launched on 9 September in 2014, so it’s quite possible that the new iPhones with loaded technology will launch on 9 September 2016.

The only flaw in that theory is that the 9 September will fall on a Friday in 2016, and Apple tends to host its events on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, so a more likely suggestion would be 6 September or 13 September.