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10th Anniversary iPhone and the iPhone 7

macduke

macduke

macrumors G5
Original poster
Jun 27, 2007
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Just had a thought: The iPhone 7 is rumored to look largely like the iPhone 6/6s. The main difference seems to be a little thinner, the removal of the headphone jack and the antenna lines that cross the frame. What if this model was just a stop-gap measure until the real upgrade comes out in 2017? That's the 10 year anniversary of the iPhone.

They could really change the design drastically. OLED display that goes to nearly all edges with reduced top and bottom "chin" bezel. Integrated Touch ID in the display. Full water proofing. Seamless Liquid Metal enclosure material which supports different colors mixed into the material itself. Perhaps even the dual-camera system or an improved version if the iPhone 7 has it—or bringing it to the smaller size if only the Plus gets it. Sapphire laminated Gorilla Glass would be necessary for display Touch ID. 32/128/256GB capacities.

There will probably be some magic new features I can't even come up with on the spot. Perhaps variable electric field friction for haptic feedback in the display as was rumored a few years ago? Maybe that could be a way to simulate a ridged button with no physical Touch ID: The instant it senses your finger on the display it turns on the field that creates the ridge sensation. Perhaps the OLED display, since it can turn off all black pixels, could just leave a circle on the display for Touch ID and not drain the battery much while sleeping. Or maybe I'm overthinking it and the whole display could sense Touch ID, so that it wakes up once it senses a fingerprint on the display. This would keep it from coming on accidentally from other skin touches. Or maybe how hard you push down with your finger, combining the Touch ID sensors with 3D Touch. Should be interesting!

So what do you guys think? Will Apple do a half-redesign for the iPhone 7 and then break their cycle with the iPhone 7s/iPhone 10th anniversary model? They recently went with a new name in the iPhone SE. Maybe they will change the naming for this new iPhone? Do you think this could be the iPhone Pro and they would charge more for it? Do you think since it's the 10th anniversary, that they would be willing to break the cycle like they did the first year the iPhone came out, going from the one model with the original iPhone design to the 3g?
 
Blujelly said:
I'd see a 64Gb over the 32 to be honest
Click to expand...
This is Apple we're talking about. They still ship phones starting at 16GB. Heck, up until recently they still sold the 5c with 8GB. My coworker has one because she didn't consider herself a power user and is literally running out of space every five seconds. She spent an hour yesterday afternoon trying to clear off space so she could snap some photos of her kid at some event at his school that evening. She cleared off space, goes to take the photos, but the space had somehow filled itself again and she missed some great shots. What makes you think in two years they'll be starting at 64GB? We've been stuck at 16GB base since the iPhone 5 in 2012. Don't get me wrong, I would love that, but let's be realistic here. We'll be lucky to see 32GB this autumn. And for all we know, this will be an iPhone Pro that starts at $749. Yikes!
 
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It is really hard to predict. Sometimes I expect they are going to do all these really great things and other people here give very compelling plausible reasons why certain things may happen and then we get stuck with essentially slight variations on the features of the previous year.

And sometimes they knock my socks off.

I can say that this is the first time I'm not excited about a new model. I love my 6S Plus except it's a bit big. And if I ever want to downsize the new SE looks nice.

I'm not pessimistic. I just think you're probably right and 2017 will be the year I say goodbye to my socks.
 
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macduke said:
This is Apple we're talking about. They still ship phones starting at 16GB. Heck, up until recently they still sold the 5c with 8GB. My coworker has one because she didn't consider herself a power user and is literally running out of space every five seconds. She spent an hour yesterday afternoon trying to clear off space so she could snap some photos of her kid at some event at his school that evening. She cleared off space, goes to take the photos, but the space had somehow filled itself again and she missed some great shots. What makes you think in two years they'll be starting at 64GB? We've been stuck at 16GB base since the iPhone 5 in 2012. Don't get me wrong, I would love that, but let's be realistic here. We'll be lucky to see 32GB this autumn. And for all we know, this will be an iPhone Pro that starts at $749. Yikes!
Click to expand...

GrumpyMom said:
It is really hard to predict
Click to expand...

As I've quoted it is hard to predict, but they'd still sell more 64gb over the 32's easy.

I'm not saying in 2 years they would be, what I'm saying is you'll see a 64gb base over a 32gb as a base. Same could be asked back what makes you think next year were going to see any of the below:

"OLED display that goes to nearly all edges with reduced top and bottom "chin" bezel.
Integrated Touch ID in the display.
Full water proofing.
Seamless Liquid Metal enclosure material which supports different colors mixed into the material itself.
dual-camera system or an improved version
Sapphire laminated Gorilla Glass"

You would have thought water proofing would have been done by Apple now considering how many of the rivals have done it for a few years, not that is really necessary IMO.
 
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Blujelly said:
As I've quoted it is hard to predict, but they'd still sell more 64gb over the 32's easy.

I'm not saying in 2 years they would be, what I'm saying is you'll see a 64gb base over a 32gb as a base. Same could be asked back what makes you think next year were going to see any of the below:

"OLED display that goes to nearly all edges with reduced top and bottom "chin" bezel.
Integrated Touch ID in the display.
Full water proofing.
Seamless Liquid Metal enclosure material which supports different colors mixed into the material itself.
dual-camera system or an improved version
Sapphire laminated Gorilla Glass"

You would have thought water proofing would have been done by Apple now considering how many of the rivals have done it for a few years, not that is really necessary IMO.
Click to expand...
I really thought by now (6S release) 32 GB would be the base storage. I was shocked and appalled when they trotted out the 16 GB base once again for the so-called flagship line. My sister-in-law has had no end of frustration with running out of space. She won't make that mistake again.

I think the 6S and 6S Plus demonstrate decent water resistance so full waterproofing seems attainable for next year. It would be a selling point for many people so if Apple can do it without running into too many hurdles I think they will.

I am certainly hoping they are experimenting with alternate materials for the shell. Perhaps something that will spare them the scourge of antenna lines. I think they could roll this out in 2017. But I can't see them abandoning aluminum this year, not when they've worked out the parameters of durability in the 6 and 6S series for the 6S and learned how to make a beefier yet thin body.
 
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GrumpyMom said:
It is really hard to predict. Sometimes I expect they are going to do all these really great things and other people here give very compelling plausible reasons why certain things may happen and then we get stuck with essentially slight variations on the features of the previous year.

And sometimes they knock my socks off.

I can say that this is the first time I'm not excited about a new model. I love my 6S Plus except it's a bit big. And if I ever want to downsize the new SE looks nice.

I'm not pessimistic. I just think you're probably right and 2017 will be the year I say goodbye to my socks.
Click to expand...

Well, at the very least 2018. I was just wondering if they could get away with such a similar design for two more years instead of one. And with the anniversary coming up, they might want to do something special.

Blujelly said:
As I've quoted it is hard to predict, but they'd still sell more 64gb over the 32's easy.

I'm not saying in 2 years they would be, what I'm saying is you'll see a 64gb base over a 32gb as a base. Same could be asked back what makes you think next year were going to see any of the below:

"OLED display that goes to nearly all edges with reduced top and bottom "chin" bezel.
Integrated Touch ID in the display.
Full water proofing.
Seamless Liquid Metal enclosure material which supports different colors mixed into the material itself.
dual-camera system or an improved version
Sapphire laminated Gorilla Glass"

You would have thought water proofing would have been done by Apple now considering how many of the rivals have done it for a few years, not that is really necessary IMO.
Click to expand...

Well, that "next year" iPhone is still a ways off. We're just getting started in 2016. That's like comparing the 5s to the 6s. It's just getting to the point where we must ask, what else could they really do? And as I just said above, can they get away with a similar design for two more years—especially as their sales this quarter are predicted by Apple to be lower for the first time ever? Hopefully they're wrong as they usually low-ball to a certain extent. But growth is slowing. They need something exciting and sleek to capture the public attention. What's really interesting is to ponder what they do after they play out that design for a few years. You can only reduce a phone so much to the point where it's just this seemingly undefined slab of software and sorcery. When is the iPhone done? Some say wearables will take over but those have a lot of tough roads ahead of them, especially as it pertains to privacy and fashion. I wonder if the industry will hit a slump sometime in the early 2020s when phones will all look like the same sliver of glass and metal and be able to do just about everything. Personally I'm hoping for an iPhone that unfolds into an iPad Pro, haha.
 
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"OLED display that goes to nearly all edges with reduced top and bottom "chin" bezel.
Integrated Touch ID in the display.
Full water proofing.
Seamless Liquid Metal enclosure material which supports different colors mixed into the material itself.
dual-camera system or an improved version
Sapphire laminated Gorilla Glass"

Waiting for the 10th anniversary to do something big would anger many customer this September OP. To hold us over until the OLED display, or the 10th anniversary, Apple should include the below, or I will be disappointed.

1. Thinner bezel
2. Improved CPU/GPU
3. Storage 32/64/128 or even 256
4. Harder Glass no matter what you call it
4. Improved camera, lets say f1.7 like Samsung S7 or even dual camera with also the f1.7
5. Quick focus like the Samsung S7
6. Improved battery life. Stop with the thinner thingy. Rather have longer battery life over 3Dtouch
7. Improved SIRI
8. Better water resistance. Won't hold my breath on this. Seen a video where the iPhone 6 was placed in water for over half an hour and it still worked. Don't know the long term effects.
9. No camera bump
10.8 MP front camera. Don't know why, I just like the number.
 
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macduke said:
Personally I'm hoping for an iPhone that unfolds into an iPad Pro, haha.
Click to expand...

HAHA that's the year 2020 for you right there :p I just think it has come to a point with all smart phones, were you struggle to put something new in? I can see your list happening just not anytime soon. They'll drag it out so they can earn each year with a minor new details to there iPhones.

ABC5S said:
6. Improved battery life. Stop with the thinner thingy
Click to expand...

I can't say I'm affected by battery life BUT that being said I like the current dimensions of the 6+s, so if they wanted to increase the depth I wouldn't be fussed.

ABC5S said:
8. Better water resistance. Won't hold my breath on this. Seen a video where the iPhone 6 was placed in water for over half an hour and it still worked. Don't know the long term effects.
Click to expand...

never been a fan off this water proof phase, just don't see the point IMO
 
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ABC5S said:
"OLED display that goes to nearly all edges with reduced top and bottom "chin" bezel.
Integrated Touch ID in the display.
Full water proofing.
Seamless Liquid Metal enclosure material which supports different colors mixed into the material itself.
dual-camera system or an improved version
Sapphire laminated Gorilla Glass"

Waiting for the 10th anniversary to do something big would anger many customer this September OP. To hold us over until the OLED display, or the 10th anniversary, Apple should include the below, or I will be disappointed.

1. Thinner bezel
2. Improved CPU/GPU
3. Storage 32/64/128 or even 256
4. Harder Glass no matter what you call it
4. Improved camera, lets say f1.7 like Samsung S7 or even dual camera with also the f1.7
5. Quick focus like the Samsung S7
6. Improved battery life. Stop with the thinner thingy. Rather have longer battery life over 3Dtouch
7. Improved SIRI
8. Better water resistance. Won't hold my breath on this. Seen a video where the iPhone 6 was placed in water for over half an hour and it still worked. Don't know the long term effects.
9. No camera bump
10.8 MP front camera. Don't know why, I just like the number.
Click to expand...

There are a few things we might see: Increased storage, fast charging, improved camera (bigger aperture is a good suggestion for low-light performance), better water resistance (you're right about the 6s, but maybe they'll make it a little better and advertise it being water resistant like the Watch), and then the design that doesn't have the bands across the back but just around the edges. Oh and no headphone jack. And of course it will be faster. The battery might be slightly better but I seriously doubt it will be more than 10%. But anything is welcome! Maybe second-gen 3D Touch as this version is a little finicky and the taptic engine is a little soft. The rumors seem to be pointing towards the same bezels and general same design. Hope they're wrong but for now it seems legitimate. It's the whole reason I started this thread—to speculate about a stop-gap tweaked design until the real redesign comes in the next year. I suppose they could keep that for two years but that seems a bit long.
 
All of the non-S models have looked very different so I expect that pattern will continue with the iPhone 7.
 
malevolant said:
I find it hard to believe that with Samsung going to completely water resistant phones that Apple would not follow suit with the iPhone 7.
Click to expand...
Why? I personally do not know of single human being that makes purchase decisions based on gimmicky bullet points.

Samsung has no capacity for true innovation, so they gimmick-pack their devices instead.

You think Apple can't make a totally waterproof iPhone? Of course they can. They don't because its not a real world need or priority, and isn't worth crippling the design over.

(They do however continue to improve the water resistance with each and every generation, which somehow gets missed by the bullet point hounds. They just don't put it on the marquee, since they have actually features to adverstize)
 
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Blujelly said:
I'd see a 64Gb over the 32 to be honest
Click to expand...
This move would kill most of the larger storage device sales. I think many with 128gb would even think hard about dropping the extra money if the entry level was 64gb. I would be more than happy to see this but I think we have a better chance of seeing pigs fly.
 
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lordofthereef said:
This move would kill most of the larger storage device sales. I think many with 128gb would even think hard about dropping the extra money if the entry level was 64gb. I would be more than happy to see this but I think we have a better chance of seeing pigs fly.
Click to expand...
I meant out of the choices OP had given, not in general.
 
TurboPGT! said:
Why? I personally do not know of single human being that makes purchase decisions based on gimmicky bullet points.
Click to expand...
Water damage is one of the highest repair reasons people bring their phones in aside from cracked screens. I wouldn't call waterproofing electronics a gimmick, by any means.

The 6s series is already the most water resistant, though unoficially, iPhones Apple has made. I do believe some thought has gone into the concept and will continue to do so. Does this mean Apple is pressured by samsung's new releases? No, likely not.
 
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macduke said:
This is Apple we're talking about. They still ship phones starting at 16GB. Heck, up until recently they still sold the 5c with 8GB. My coworker has one because she didn't consider herself a power user and is literally running out of space every five seconds. She spent an hour yesterday afternoon trying to clear off space so she could snap some photos of her kid at some event at his school that evening. She cleared off space, goes to take the photos, but the space had somehow filled itself again and she missed some great shots. What makes you think in two years they'll be starting at 64GB? We've been stuck at 16GB base since the iPhone 5 in 2012. Don't get me wrong, I would love that, but let's be realistic here. We'll be lucky to see 32GB this autumn. And for all we know, this will be an iPhone Pro that starts at $749. Yikes!
Click to expand...
The 3GS in 2009 was 16 gig base
 
Waterproofing is a useful trait when the function as a camera is considered. I've had to enclose my iPhone in a waterproof bag like case when I wanted to use it to take pictures out in the snow or by the beach and pool.

People who take it hiking or camping and find themselves trying to use the GPS out in the rain would appreciate it, too.

As for how far we can take the design of a cell phone, one only has to take a look at the experimental flexible display tech and imagine how this can be used to revolutionize the iPhone experience. If you could create a thin flexible, foldable iPhone you could even sell an attachment that makes it an actual wallet and phone if you wish. I am not talking about a wallet case but a slender full wallet attachment that can hold more than the one or two credit cards and folded bill that wallet cases currently hold. You could have an iPhone that fits very nicely in any pocket, yet unfolds to a pleasantly sized display.

Then think of the explosion in health and special needs accessories that's starting to take place. There are new experimental devices by Microsoft and by Toyota to help the blind improve their ability to navigate. It may someday be possible to build something that enables the Apple Watch and iPhone to work together to accomplish something similar.

There can be a whole world of exciting new practical applications in the field of health and fitness for an iPhone that's powerful and feature packed but able to convert to an easily carried or wearable form, especially if developed to work in tandem with another wearable.

I think for the most innovative changes to become possible, Apple will at some point have to abandon the rigid slab no matter how thin they are able to make it.
 
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I see the point of water proofing for me it's just not practical. I can't say my iPhone is ever nearly put into a situation were I would need it water proofed.

If I drop into water by accident I've got insurance I'd rather pay the £50 excess, then a higher price cost of the iPhone. I know not everyone out there does so my words can't be taken for the general public, just my thoughts about it.
 
I think they would go with January 2017 as the 10-year anniversary of the unveiling of the iPhone rather than June 2017 for its release.
 
goobot said:
Your "Proof" only proved you wrong. It says iPhone 3g will still be offered at 8 gigs while the 3gs started at 16. Also i remember too because it went OG iPhone base 4gig, 3g iPhone base 8gig and the 3gs went up to 16.
Click to expand...
Paddle1 said:
Nope. If you actually read that article it says iPhone 3G at 8GB, not 3GS. Also, the iPhone 4 and 4S had a base of 16GB at launch. It didn't start with the 5.
Click to expand...

Well it came in an 8GB size, which would make that the base:

http://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPhone-3GS-8GB-Black/dp/B004ZLV50E

http://www.gsmarena.com/apple_iphone_3gs-2826.php

http://www.ebay.com/sch/8GB-iPhone-3GS-Smartphones/9355/bn_368156/i.html

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-i...at-t/1048998.p?id=1218212859929&skuId=1048998
 
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