LEAKED: iPhone 7 in picturesApple is expected to unveil the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at a media event in San Francisco, California on September 7th.
The California-based technology firm sent out invites to the exclusive launch event earlier this week.
The invite includes a blurred Apple logo, which the ridges of the iconic logo made-up of the twinkling lights of a cityscape.
Apple is widely expected to focus on smartphone photography with its latest iPhone.
The image on the invite plays with low-light photography as well as different focal distances, both features slated for the next iPhone camera.
However the blurred colour spheres could also allude to water droplets, meaning the rumoured water resistant design could be around the corner.
There have been a number of devastatingly high profile leaks around the upcoming smartphone.
Apple has sent out invites to an exclusive media event on Wednesday September 7th in San Francisco, California.
The US firm is widely expected to announce the next iPhone and the second-generation Apple Watch at the event.
If Apple follows its usual pattern, the iPhone 7 will then be available to pre-order on Friday 9th or Saturday 10th 2016.
Customers will then be able to queue outside their local Apple Store to pick-up the device on Friday 16th.
Serial technology leaker Evan Blass has reiterated these dates – although he hasn't cited any source for this information.
Apple currently sells the iPhone 6S for £539, and the larger 5.5inch iPhone 6S Plus for £619.
There's no reason to think these prices will change dramatically, as they really do between hardware generations.
However Apple did increase the price of its flagship smartphone when it started bundling its EarPod headphones.
If the Cupertino company introduces a wireless Bluetooth skew of its headphones – as some sources believe it will – then it is possible the price will increase.
A recent post on Chinese social media suggests the iPhone 7 will ship with double the memory of the previous model – without increasing the price of the handset.
Posted on WeChat, the latest leaked specifications suggest Apple will kill both 16GB and 64GB internal storage tiers, replacing them with 32GB and 128GB options.
According to the leak, the next iPhone will ship with either 32GB, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. Currently, the entry-level iPhone ships with a meagre 16GB.
iPhone 7 Design, FeaturesLast year's iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus didn't really offer customers enough reasons to upgrade their devices.
We are going to give you things that you can't live without that you just don't know you need today
The lack of any standout must-have features and lack of enthusiasm from customers caused Apple to scale back production in January, and later announce the first ever drop in iPhone sales.
Apple plans to fix that with the next smartphone, about which CEO Tim Cook has teased: "We are going to give you things that you can't live without that you just don't know you need today."
According to a leaked technical drawing, Apple looks set to keep a similar design this year.
The iPhone 7 will largely resemble its predecessor, aside from the antenna bands that run across the back of the phone, which appear to have repositioned.
These stripes along the outer aluminium case provide a clear escape route for your mobile signal. Previous models avoided the issue by using panels made of glass.
Three dots have also appeared at the bottom of the iPhone 7 – which could indicate the presence of a Smart Connector.
This new proprietary connection can transmit data and power. Apple uses the port – which sits flush with the body – to attach the Smart Keyboard accessory with the iPad Pro.
However, it is unknown how a Smart Connector would be used to enhance the iPhone 7.
But the biggest change is believed to be the removal of the 3.5mm headphone port.
Apple has never been afraid to drop ageing technology – from the floppy drive on the original iMac, to its own original iPod and iPhone charger.
And there are many reasons why dropping the 3.5mm headphone port in favour of the Lightning port could be a brilliant new feature.
Lightning headphones are capable of receiving lossless stereo 48 kHz digital audio output from Apple devices, as well as sending mono 48 kHz digital input from a microphone.
Manufacturers can also include remote controls with the ability to change the volume, pause and play audio, as well as map buttons to specific app functions.
Apple has also hinted at plans to bring noise-cancelling and fitness tracking abilities to its EarPod headphones – without adding any bulk – since the smarts and power is provided via the Lightning port.
The Cupertino company was first granted a patent for Lightning connector equipped headphones back in December 2014.
Another patent shows Lightning headphones with built-in pressure sensors.
These sensors would dynamically change the volume of your music playback based on ambient noise and the seal between the headphone and your ear canal.
A look at the new iPhone SEThe US patent is a follow-up to a similar idea filed by the company back in 2011, it would track the air pressure inside your ear and adjust the volume at different audible frequencies to compensate for the seal.
Removing an industry-standard, like the 3.5mm headphone port, is always going to be painful. Especially one as ubiquitous as the 3.5mm headphone port.
However it would be a much easier pill to swallow if Apple can justify its move with a genuinely new and exciting proposition – whether that's noise-cancelling EarPods at no extra cost, or lightweight wireless headphones.
Unfortunately the leaked Apple adapter suggests that this won't be the case.
Plus, iPhone owners who want to keep using their existing headphones will have to deal with the added headache of fumbling around with an adapter.
And that begs the question, why remove the 3.5mm headphone port in the first place?
Hopefully Apple has a compelling answer to that question when it unveils the iPhone 7 in September.
Elsewhere, the iPhone 7 could be the first Apple smartphone to ship with a dual-camera set-up.
Based on the latest rumours and leaks, the side-by-side rear twin cameras will appear like an elongated, pill-shaped protrusion from the aluminium back panel.
Rumours suggest the strange new camera could allow iPhone owners to simultaneously snap a wide-angle image – as well as a cropped, or zoomed-in version of the same photo.
Apple has previously confirmed it has 800 people dedicated to working on the camera technology included in its best-selling iPhone.
Other rumoured features for the iPhone 7 include a faster A10 processor, water resistant case and faster 4G and wifi speeds.
Related articlesSource: iPhone 7 - UK price, release date, leaked photos, ditched 3.5mm Headphone port, and more
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