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iPhone 7 Design Leaked: Apple’s Latest Kills The Headphone Jack

By Jayce Wagner
Published on: 11:40 PST, Apr 27, 2016

The design for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7 was leaked today in the June issue of Japan’s Mac Fan magazine, confirming many of the rumors that have been swirling about Apple’s latest flagship iPhone, but it looks like there are a couple surprises fans didn’t anticipate.

The schematic for Apple’s iPhone 7, reports Apple Insider, includes a number of familiar features. It doesn’t look like the handset is getting much of an overhaul – the iPhone 7 Plus might be a little thinner, with smaller bezels, but if the schematic leak is accurate the overall shape of the iPhone 7 will likely remain the same as its predecessor, the iPhone 6s.

However, it looks like there are a couple important changes to a few key areas on the iPhone 7. The camera, for starters, is much wider – an oval-shaped opening which will reportedly contain a dual-lens design similar to the system used in the Huawei P9. Rumors that the iPhone 7 will sport a dual-lens camera started swirling ever since major smartphone manufacturers started experimenting with the technology early last year.

Next up, it looks like the iPhone 7’s biggest feature is something it doesn’t have: a headphone port. Specifically, a 3.5mm headphone jack, the kind every other smartphone on the market uses, and the same port which has become an industry standard on everything from smartphones to computers to stereo systems. If the leaked schematics are correct, Apple is doing away with the 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead the iPhone 7 will reportedly use the lightning port for the next generation of Apple’s iconic white earbuds.

Naturally, the iPhone 7 will likely feature its most impressive changes internally – faster processor, more RAM, sharper screen. The size of the iPhone 7 Plus’ screen is reportedly going to be much the same as the current screen on the iPhone 6s Plus – 5.5 inches. The iPhone 7 schematic doesn’t specify, however, whether or not the screen itself will be the same as earlier models.

Given Apple’s penchant for incremental improvements, it’s likely the iPhone 7 will sport a screen with the same size, if not the same specs. The most recent iPad Pro has received no end of praise for its sharp, glossy, and responsive screen – odds are good that the iPhone 7 will get a downsized version of the latest IPS panel.

Of particular interest, though, is the presence of Apple’s new Smart Connector port on the back of the iPhone 7. It’s no surprise that Apple would roll out its latest connector technology to the new iPhone – it’s already seen use on the iPad Pro, expanding the device’s capabilities significantly. The Smart Connector port allows for the use of external battery cases without connecting to the lightning port – which is a good thing, given that the port will be pulling double-duty as a headphone jack.

Apple Insider reports that the iPhone 7 schematics leaked today match up pretty well with other leaks in the past, suggesting that the latest iPhone 7’s design has been all but confirmed in the press. Forbes reports, however, that the latest iPhone could be holding off on some of the more “interesting” and “revolutionary” ideas for the release of the 2017 iPhone, the highly anticipated 10th anniversary version: the “all glass iPhone.”

The iPhone 7 schematic leak comes just a day after Apple has suffered a serious financial blow, with iPhone sales falling well short of expectations and a tumbling stock price. Analysts argue that Apple will likely continue to see growing iPhone sales – particularly with the release of the iPhone 7 – but will likely see steady growth instead of the previous nearly exponential sales increases year by year.

For the most part though, the changes confirmed in today’s iPhone 7 leak match up with expectations reported previously by Inquisitr.

[Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images]

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