Piper Jaffray’s Gene Munster “details expectations an ‘iPhone 7’ would change the phone’s shape and dimensions and other physical aspects of hardware,” Tiernan Ray reports for Barron’s.
We expect the iPhone 7 to sport a unique design from the iPhone 6/6S. As many have speculated, the addition of 3D Touch may provide Apple with a way to eliminate the home button on the phone and use the additional space to make the screen bigger or make the device smaller. One barrier to this could be Touch ID, which is integrated into the home button currently. Apple would need to move the Touch ID reader to potentially the side of the phone to remove the home button. We believe a home-buttonless iPhone has a 50% chance for the iPhone 7. Another area on which we believe Apple may focus is battery life. Looking at Macs over the past few years, Apple has close to doubled battery life for its Macbook line up (largely 5 hour battery to ~10 hours). It has achieved this through more efficient processors and software. We believe battery life is one of the biggest areas of potential improvement and one that might be most welcomed by customers. Finally, a sapphire screen has long been rumored for the iPhone. Since Apple now uses sapphire on the Apple Watch, it could make sense for them to adapt it to the phone. — Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Before Apple Watch: If we had to choose between a thinner iPhone and one with longer battery life, we’d choose longer battery life.
After Apple Watch: We want even thinner iPhones since we use them significantly less. We want our iPhones to be even lighter and more pocketable. With iPhone 6s/Plus units, we already have more than enough battery life and put our iPhones to bed each night with at least 30% battery left on a typical day.
People who do not have Apple Watches place inordinate value on battery life and too easily eschew thinness and lightness. Once you begin to wear and use Apple Watch, your iPhone wish list changes significantly.
SEE ALSO:
No Home button? Liquidmetal body? What can we expect from next year’s Apple iPhone 7? – October 19, 2015
New Apple patents show continuing work on Liquidmetal – August 11, 2015
The Turing Phone is not made out of Liquidmetal – July 15, 2015
Why does Apple keep extending their partnership with Liquidmetal? – June 25, 2015
Apple extends Liquidmetal exclusivity deal through February 2016 – June 23, 2015
Two new Liquidmetal patent filings from Apple revealed; list watch and jewelry among potential uses – April 23, 2015
Liquidmetal’s Apple alliance yet to bear fruit – September 30, 2014
Apple’s new Liquidmetal-related patent sparks speculation – July 7, 2014
Apple patents method for embedding sapphire displays in LiquidMetal device chassis – May 27, 2014
Liquidmetal-Visser agreement paves the way for more rapid adoption of amorphous metal manufacturing – May 21, 2014
Apple extends Liquidmetal exclusivity deal through February 2015 – May 21, 2014
MDN has just outlined the argument that I have been putting forward for ages about why Apple also needs to offer a smaller screen iPhone … and I don’t have an Apple Watch.
For many users, portability and pocketability is more important than having a big screen. Just so long as a small iPhone still has all the same features and speed as it’s larger siblings, which means that it would be unlikely to be significantly cheaper.
Keep the iPhone 6’s size, and make it better. I don’t need/want a thinner phone.. Nor do I want a phablet in my pocket. I need a bigger screen I’ll get an iPad mini. (Which I would have bought last year, but got the air instead)
Thin is nice.. To a point.
Also do not have a watch, only Apple Pay interests me with it now. Will wait until Apple puts features on it I would even use.
I love these predictable articles, 6S just came out.. So of course we have iPhone 7 rumors. Now we need the “don’t buy an iPhone 6S now, iPhone 7 is right around the corner” articles.
Back on topic:
On what basis does the article mention probabilities of something happening NEXT YEAR?
Talking about click-bait.
I already want the next one. Every other year when it’s S time, I always get more anxious earlier. Sure, 3D Touch is great and it’s faster, but I want something that wows me, not something I glance at that looks the same as the phone I’ve had for the past year.
Someone recently asked me “is that the new iPhone 6s Plus?” I said, “yes!” Then took off my Apple leather case and showed them the S on the back, and said “this is the only part that’s different” laughed a little, and then went into more detail showing them 3D Touch and Live Photos. Live Photos always gets them excited, especially when I associate it to the term I heard first on MDN “Harry Potter-esque”. I was actually at a wedding over the weekend and captured the bouquet toss perfectly with a Live Photo, where it started in the bride’s hand, you could see it tossed, and saw a bridesmaid catch it.
If you think the S on the back and 3D touch is the only thing that is different, then you can’t read.
Right, “everything” changed. No I understand what’s new. It was a joke you fucking dull minded asshole.
For me it’s: fully waterproof, inductive charging, improve the camera even further (the Isreali technology they bought?). Not sure if I need thinner, but for God sakes get rid of the protruding camera lens that makes you choose between placing the phone face down on screen or face up on camera lens!
Not sure if sapphire is worth decreased screen brightness unless it increases shatter resistance. IMHO screen scratches not a problem with current glass.
I would have given you five stars, but my finger apparently touched the fourth star, and now it won’t let me change that!
aww thanks!
Full waterproof – nope. Waste of money and design. Very few people need that. Induction charging? Waste of electronics – Apple would have put that in if they thought it was important. Of course they’re going to improve the camera – duh. The extra width of the camera lens hasn’t stopped sales one tiny bit so whether they do it or not is going to be a byproduct of the technology and not because.
True about the watch MDN. Perhaps something smaller with minimal screen?
Really, Gene? TouchID on the *side*?? How does this guy get anyone to listen to his idiot ravings??
I’m still using my iPhone 5 because I like the size and the weight isn’t terrible. I may go for a screen the size of a 6S or if the form factor is reduced to something between the 5s and 6s. The ‘crystal’ and aluminum of my Apple Watch sport would be just fine for an iPhone 7, yet those who can afford to pay more for sapphire, stainless, gold or rose gold should be afforded the chance to match their Watch with a new solid gold or stainless iPhone 7 (in addition to anodized aluminum). As I don’t lay my phone down where anyone can steal it I don’t mind that the camera lens sticks out a bit (that’s why the lens is sapphire, so it won’t scratch), but I prefer a flush back to match a flush face. In all, no matter how Apple designs the new iPhone I will purchase it because it will be time to replace this 5 with whatever great tech Apple incorporates into the 7.
ever notice how Gene always writes using “we” this and “we” that. Who does he think he is, Her Majesty the Queen?
On second thought, maybe Gene is an old queen…
Want radical design change?? Make a sapphire covered iPhone with a screen on both sides. The biggest waste is the back side of the phone, where another screen could be, showing different tickers or widgets. The fingerprint scanner would identify the front. It might look like a Ford taurus for awhile, but which side is the front is worth double the screen real estate.
the back could be e-paper (read: Kindle or whatnot e-book), Super low power to update, no power non-volatile information stays on the screen that updates at the frequency you choose, like stocks, weather, appointments, other notifications like email or texts or… etc….. for a quick glance without turning on the phone, don’t even have to pick it up
Bonus: designs and images that could be “active skins” for total customization (how thick is e-paper anyway?)
It would put the 3rd party case ecosystem out of business, though.
Bla.. Bla.. Bla….
Still waiting for Apple to create a Simpler Smarter Phone.
Perhaps an all Siri (but on board as its own chip) assisting you with everything that smartphones do however not offering games and entertainment. Not offering the App store. A phone that focuses more solidly doing what a basic phone does but doing it easier and better.
Taking the basic Apps we have now and embedding the key functions the key apps into the system again. as an invisible seamless service. So, there is no app to dial out. You just tell your phone, Make a call to David. Email Tracey. Read aloud my In Box. Add Contact. Set meeting for December 10th. And Make a Note. Oh please convert audio to a text file and send.
Suddenly the phone can be smaller, the screen no longer has to have touch.
IMO – a phone still needs to have a camera. As it allows instant input of documentation, recording and FaceTime etc.