iPhone 7 Release Date, Price, Specifications, New Feature Rumors: Apple Planning July 2016 launch

Nov 08, 2015 10:25 AM EST

Here is one good news for Apple fans. The Cupertino-based company is rumored to be planning to have an early release date to the much anticipated next generation Apple smartphone, the iPhone 7.

The rumor mill is on overdrive speculating that Apple is seriously considering to launch the iPhone 7 in the summer of 2016 with a July launch instead of the traditional unveiling of new Apple gadgets in the fall September date.

MacWorld cited sources within Apple said that the early release of the iPhone 7 is a smart move for the company to boost sales of the iPhone 6 with demand for the last generation of the iPhone expected to slow down in the summer. Apple is also hoping that unveiling iPhone 7 in July 2016 will allow its smartphone to remain competitive with its rival, particularly from Android-powered smartphones.

According to the report, the iPhone 7 is will arrive packing the latest technology Apple has to offer that is more advanced than its predecessor, the iPhone 6 series models. The next generation iPhone is rumored to have more power with an A10 system on a chip (SoC) that will be the heart of the smartphone. The new iPhone 7 will also have a slimmer frame at 6mm thick, a 2K display, an Apple wireless charging puck, front-facing speakers, and an 8MP selfie camera in the front.

The website reported, "The iPhone 7 is also rumored to have a stronger non-metallic casting that will give the iPhone 7 a tough waterproof frame. Going waterproof may be a draw to clumsy iPhone users who have to steer clear of water and new users who previously stayed away from the pricey handsets for fear of damaging it.

"To give the phone even more appeal Apple is rumored to be teaming up with numerous companies, including its top rival Samsung. The iPhone 7 could get Samsung manufactured OLED panels to give it an edge to edge touch screen without having to make the handset larger."

A separate report by PopSci stated that the new iPhone 7 will have a Touch ID and added that Apple has already started placing orders for parts of the upcoming new generation Apple iPhone. It said that Apple has placed orders for Synaptics-made touchscreens, which was also used for the iPhone 6. The report cited sources as claiming that the same screens will be used in the iPhone 7.

MacWorld added that a 4.7-inch model will be released as iPhone 7 while a 5.5-inch model will be called the iPhone 7 Plus. An Apple iPhone mini is rumored to be also in the offing, with 4.inch version.

For the iPhone 7, expect engineers at Apple to complete redesign the next generation smartphone to give it a distinct physical feature compared to its iPhone 6/6s generation predecessors.