NEW iPHONE 7 CONCEPT MODEL

Images published in 9to5Mac this week have provided a huge clue regarding the future of the iPhone 7. There has long been a debate about whether or not the iPhone 7 would see the light of day in 2015, but the pictures produced by Mark Gurman suggest that we might have to wait until 2016 for the iPhone 7.

iPhone 7 branding debate

The branding for the next generation iPhone has been a subject of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)-following websites and blogs for quite some time. The debate has centered around whether or not Apple would release a revolutionary iPhone 7 in 2016, or whether this branding would be attached to an iPhone handset in 2015 instead.

Well, the images of the alleged metal housing for the next iPhone - which is expected to be unveiled in September of this year - suggest that the iPhone 7 will not be released until next year. This should perhaps not come as a huge surprise, considering that Apple has tended to release brand new iPhones in two year cycles, and the amount of development required to produce a revolutionary smartphone certainly shouldn't be underestimated.

iPhone 7 delayed by Apple success

Apple is also in an extremely strong financial position at present, and simply doesn't need to take any risks. After a stellar 2014 during which the corporation easily established itself as the most successful consumer electronics company on the planet, there is absolutely no need for Apple to push the boat out in 2015. And it would represent something of a risk for the consumer electronics giant to attempt to include some of the exciting features that have been linked with the iPhone 7 in the few weeks that remain before its unveiling.

According to Gurman, the iPhone 6s pictured in the images will appear largely the same externally as the existingiPhone 6. There are no noticeable external alterations to the device, although the publication concedes that it is possible that the final version of the hardware could include a few minor tweaks.

iPhone 7 - screen sizes retained

Particularly notable in the predictions of Gurman is that there is no noticeable difference in thickness to the existing iPhone 6. This would suggest that predictions of identical screen sizes in the next generation of iPhones to the existing iPhone 6 have been entirely accurate. This will mean that when the iPhone 6S is released later in 2015 that it will feature a 4.7-inch smartphone version and a larger 5.5-inch phablet.

It has also been noted that the antenna lines that were included in the iPhone 6 have seemingly been retained for the next version of the smartphone. These are clearly visible in the leaked casing, and this will not be a decision that is exactly universally popular. Apple recently applied for a patent that provides the ability to hide antenna lines on the rear of the iPhone with an anodized metal appearance, but it seems that the existing setup will persist for at least one more iPhone generation.

iPhone 7 camera frozen

After a huge amount of reports have suggested that Apple is working on a revolutionary camera technology internally, it also seems that this will not come to fruition during 2015. There have been persistent reports that Apple will consider either include a dual-lens snapper, or a professional standard DSLR camera for the iPhone 7. A uniqueperiscope design has even been linked with the Apple smartphone during 2015, but the casing has pretty much confined these suggestions to the garbage can.

There is no additional room for a second lens on the pictures in question, and it seems that Apple will rely on software and minor megapixel upgrades to improve the camera in the next generation iPhone. This would suggest that the leaks that have been suggested by Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities are indeed accurate, and apple fans should expect a 12-megapixel snapper when the iPhone 6s is released.

However, although the images suggest that the next iPhone cab off the rank will be similar to the iPhone 6, there are indications of internal changes. New mounting structures are included that could accommodate new logic board components, and this would suggest that Apple intends to at least alter the makeup of the iPhone 6s to a certain extent. It is surprising what can be achieved with a few hardware alterations, and this could still point to a significant upgrade in performance from the next generation iPhone.