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recoil80

macrumors 68040
Jul 16, 2014
3,117
2,755
I would really like a "Game Case" for the iPhone, so I could play iOS games on sort of a PSP Go form factor.
The smart connector would be perfect for this.

I was thinking the same. And a charging dock connected via the smart connector instead of the lighting port is also a possibility
 

blairh

macrumors 603
Dec 11, 2007
5,828
4,098
If they don't go thinner this will be the lamest update in a long time. Same footprint? Same thickness? A better camera only goes so far.

A minor update means next year they will indeed go for that huge redesign.
 

manu chao

macrumors 604
Jul 30, 2003
7,219
3,031
No headphone jack? Then we are done with iPhones. Several people (none of them technical) have said they will move to Android if apple does this. They spent too much money on good headphones to compromise with Bluetooth headphones.
I have spent enough on wired headphones, they all break close to the jack sooner rather than later. The Apple earbuds used to last a year for me but with the iPhone 6, the cables started fraying at headphone plug end after less than six months (something about the iPhone 6 size puts more stress on that part when in my pocket). Replacing the Apple earbuds every couple of months is one thing, but the plug of my $200 headphones also broke off while inside the phone, was some tricky business to get it out of the iPhone headphone plug socket.

I've been using Bluetooth earplugs for five months now without any sign of them needing replacement.
 

doelcm82

macrumors 68040
Feb 11, 2012
3,746
2,763
Florida, USA
As far as we can tell the iPhone 7 is going to be one dud of a release. There's really not one thing that seems interesting so far.
If it has a dual camera, that's enough for me. It will likely have a performance bump over the 6s.

I usually upgrade every two years, so I'm also looking forward to using the new features that were introduced with the 6s, and those that come with the "7". Every year, people complain about the upgrade being not enough. Upgrading every two years is like getting a double upgrade. I don't expect to be disappointed moving from a 6+ to a "7+".
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,110
31,127
If they don't go thinner this will be the lamest update in a long time. Same footprint? Same thickness? A better camera only goes so far.

A minor update means next year they will indeed go for that huge redesign.
A phone that looks similar to the 6S to me signals a huge redesign is coming in 2017 and this might be the year Apple gets rid of numbers with iPhone naming. For me the one thing about the 6S that was meh was the camera so if Apple's made a big improvement to it I think that will be a big deal. Right now iPhone isn't the smartphone camera leader no matter what Phil Schiller thinks.
 
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Mac 128

macrumors 603
Apr 16, 2015
5,360
2,930
Apple is expected to eliminate the headphone jack in the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, and while some rumors have indicated Apple could use the space to introduce dual stereo speakers, Mac Otakara now believes Apple will continue to use a single speaker in the device. The report also includes a mention of Bluetooth-enabled EarPods that connect to the iPhone to charge much like the Apple Pencil.

Best news I've heard all year. ;-)

Headphone jack to be eliminated and stereo speakers added - that is irony.

The current phones with stereo speakers are nothing like a stereo - the basic need to separate the two speakers cannot be achieved on a 3" device. This is like the 3D effect again.

That's not what this article states. But I agree as to why they shouldn't do it.

Why remove the headphone jack if they aren't going to put anything in its place? That does seem a little weird. Oh and I'm almost 100% sure it'll be thinner!

This is not a game of Tetris ... eliminating the headphone jack does not mean they have to fill it with a block a similar size and volume. The entire internals of the phone will be redesigned so that space will be filled by something else, to accommodate a new feature that may need more space elsewhere in the device.

No headphone jack? Then we are done with iPhones. Several people (none of them technical) have said they will move to Android if apple does this. They spent too much money on good headphones to compromise with Bluetooth headphones.

And what will you do when flagship Android phones drop the headphone jack?
 

mcarling

macrumors 65816
Oct 22, 2009
1,292
180
We know that Apple make multiple different prototypes of iOS devices, so that likelihood that a particular one will go into production is rather low -- if these photos are even genuine.
 

djbuddha

macrumors 6502
Aug 7, 2011
387
424
There has to be other idea for the Smart Connector than a Smart Keyboard.

Maybe they are designing a cool and functional case. But its not going to have a keyboard.

Smart connector charging cases. The smart connector can pass power

So you would use the Lightning port pass through on a new Apple designed case to charge the case and phone and also pass audio to lightning headphones. So now you can keep your phone charged using the smart connector to the case while using wired headphones. I'll put money on this scenario being in the pipeline.

What'd be even funnier is if a new case had all this and a 3.5mm jack ... But that'd be a $200 unicorn by Apple lol.
 
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spinedoc77

macrumors G4
Jun 11, 2009
11,390
5,253
As long as they give those comically huge bezels back to the year 2012 I'm happy. It's thin enough as it is. Anyone know if the hardware mute switch is on the chopping block as well? That's one of the major differentiators for the iPhone IMO and it would be a shame if they lost it, but I don't k now how they would keep it if they can't even fit the headphone jack.
 
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cambookpro

macrumors 604
Feb 3, 2010
7,189
3,321
United Kingdom
Get used to it folks. There's a reason the MacBook/MBP/MBA line is derivative to the 2001 G4 PowerBook design.

But people update their phone every year or two, and generally don't update their computers that often. I think a lot of the appeal is often a new design. I've updated every two years like clockwork since the iPhone came out, but I'm 50/50 on this one if the design is the same. Call me shallow, but my 6+ is fast enough so I need something else to tempt me!

Also, if you compare the PBG4 to the MacBook, they're very different. They only really share the same principle of folding screen and keyboard (much like iPhones share a rectangle with a screen on the front).
 
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GreyOS

macrumors 68040
Apr 12, 2012
3,355
1,682
Longer battery life?
oh you mean bigger battery? yeah maybe

but feels like an admission the current iphone 6/s aren't good enough, the headphone jack is quite a big thing to remove just to say better battery (not that i wouldn't like that). i dunno
 

Oblivious.Robot

macrumors 6502a
Sep 15, 2014
816
2,177
Looks like they're saving the radical redesign with the curved glass,OMLED & Liquidmetal casing for the 2017 10th anniversary iphone.
The change in the tick-took cycle, seems interesting and actually plausible for the 10th anniversary special.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,110
31,127
So apple got rid of the antenna bands but added that hideous camera. Wow
What cameras are aesthetically pleasing? Huawei's cameras are flat but it's still an eyesore IMO. LG, Samsung and HTC have camera humps/rings only difference is their cameras located in the top center of the back not the upper corner.

Huawei-P9-and-P9-Plus.jpg
 

djbuddha

macrumors 6502
Aug 7, 2011
387
424
How about wireless charging?

As I wrote above. The new charge cases would charge the phone. But I think your point creates an interesting scenario.

Imagine if a new battery case had 2 smart connectors. 1 on the inside, 1 on the outside. So you use internal one for the phone, the external to charge the case on a flat dock of some sort (which can charge the phone "wirelessly"). With the case on it'd be like a daisy chain charge scenario. Like charge-jenga lol :p
 

TsMkLg068426

macrumors 65816
Mar 31, 2009
1,498
343
Eliminate the headphone jack and then how does Apple expect to listen in the car? Not everyone has CarPlay or Bluetooth or up to date Bluetooth like my car.

Better idea remove volume buttons no need when you can just use the screen to adjust the volume and move headphone jack in its place now you have room for stereo speakers.
 
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