iPhone 7: Latest release date, news and price rumours on Apple's next smartphone

Many people that didn't upgrade to the iPhone 6s last year will have one very specific reason for holding out.
If Apple stays true to form, it will reveal a brand new iPhone at some point this year - and it's likely to be a
substantial upgrade.
The iPhone 7 was rumoured to appear last year but instead it looks like 2016 will be when Apple makes the jump.
It will have to work hard to keep pace with forthcoming Android handsets from the likes of Samsung and Sony, but there are plenty of rumours that give hints about what Apple is planning.
We've gathered together all the latest news surrounding the phone into one place and will continue to update this as we learn more.

ConceptsiPhone

Imagined appearance: This might be what the iPhone 7 looks like- but it's not out 'til next year

Apple iPhone 7: Release date

Taking Apple's release date history into account, it's likely we'll see the iPhone 7 officially revealed in September 2016.
Both the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6 were revealed in September and Apple has no reason to change its strategy.
There's also nothing wrong with taking advantage of Black Friday sales and the run up to Christmas.

Yasser Farahi

The iPhone 7 could be even slimmer than the iPhone 6

If we had to be specific, we would estimate the announcement date for the iPhone 7 being on a Wednesday or a Thursday in either the first or second week of September.
The iPhone 6s announcement was held on September 9, 2015 and Apple could plan a repeat performance.

Apple iPhone 7: Camera and design

Apple's iPhone 6s has been a big hit for the technology giant - but it didn't alter much when it came to design.
That could be about to change as rumours suggest next year's model may drop the iconic home button on the front of the gadget.
Designers around the world are speculating on what Apple has planned and one artist, Marek Weidlich, has created an intriguing concept.

ConceptsiPhone

Is this what the iPhone 7 will look like?

Weidlich has turned the entire front of the futuristic smartphone into a screen - leaving no home button or any visible bezel.
"I focused on simple design language which is very important for Apple," Weidlich said.
"I designed a curved display without a bezel, and equipped with a software home button."
Both Samsung and LG have embraced curvy screens with the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and the LG G Flex 2 respectively.
It's unlikely Apple will follow suit but then the world's most valuable company has frequently had a problem with bending phones.
Screen size is perhaps the most contentious issue.
Apple's last two releases have been with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screens. This covers a broad range and the tech giant could decide to keep things as they are.
But fans have been infuriated by new pics which claim to show a drastic change in one of the key features of the iPhone.
The pictures were obtained by the Taiwanese site Apple Club , which previously published the first schematics showing the protuding iPhone 6 camera lens, before being republished by 9to5Mac.
They appear to confirm rumours that Apple is set to remove the headphone jack from the iPhone 7.
If true, this will probably mean anyone who buys the next version of Apple's iPhone will have to use wireless headphones or fork out for a pricey converter.

In January, the usual shadowy "supply chain sources" told a Chinese website that the 3.5 inch headphone jack will not be included on Apple's next mobile.

Apple iPhone 7: Specs

Yasser Farahi

The iPhone 7 will likely come in different colours - including a gold version

Because the new iPhone will likely arrive with Apple's yet-to-be-confirmed iOS 10 software and an upgraded processor, it will offer even more power and better efficiency.
Likely to be boasting a processor called the A10 chip, the iPhone 7 will surely boast more power - although it's anyone's guess as to how much this will translate into actual usage.

Yasser Farahi

Apple will pack the very latest technology into its new flagship handset

At the moment, we don't know what kind of battery the iPhone 7 will use - but at least there's now a Low Power Mode built into iOS 9 to help it last even longer. We expect this will continue into an updated version of iOS.
According to Korean site ETNews, Apple is currently in discussion with arch-rival Samsung over supplying OLED screens for its next phone.
This would shift the display over from the current LED model to a much more vibrant OLED screen. Such a move would likely make for better colour reproduction for videos and games, but might hamper battery life.
However, one change could be a huge boon for Apple fans.
The misery of dropping your iPhone down the toilet could soon be over as the latest rumours suggest Apple's next iPhone could be completely waterproof.
According to a report in the China-based Commercial Times , Apple is working on a new "compound material" that repels water for use in its forthcoming smartphone, which it is thought will be called the iPhone 7.
This new material will also reportedly remove the need for the two strips of plastic that run across the back of the current generation of iPhones to allow mobile signals to reach the antennas.
This suggests that the body of the next iPhone may not be made from metal at all, but some other kind of material that allows radio waves to pass through it.
There has also been some suggestion that the iPhone 7 could include a cutting-edge technology known as LiFi, that is capable of transmitting information at 100 times the speed of WiFi.
However, this is unlikely, given that LiFi is still in the early stages of development, and researchers don't expect it to be ready for commercial use before the end of the decade.

Apple iPhone 7: Price

It's unlikely that Apple's main iPhone 7 will be any easier on the wallet than past variants.
Most experts reckon the new iPhone will start at £539 for a 16GB model, effectively taking the place of the current iPhone 6s - which will see an incremental drop in price.
If true, we could expect other models with larger storage - 64GB and 128GB most likely - to stick with the £619 and £699 price