iPhone 2017 Model Updates and Rumors: Apple to Remove Home Button; New Design Details
Apple Aims to Make the Next iPhones Look Like a Single Piece of Glass
Apple will reportedly implement thinner bottom bezels in the 2017 models of the iPhone, ditching the iconic hardware feature that every iPhone released yet has possessed.
No More Home Button
Rumors about the new and upcoming iPhone 7 and 7 Pro (or 7 Plus) are still ongoing and making their rounds in various tech sites and blogs. However, some rumors are skipping ahead and are already looking at the next generation of iPhone to be launched in 2017. One of the first rumors to leak is the disappearance of the Home button.
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The iconic Home button in Apple's mobile devices debuted along with the first generation iPhone when it was launched back in 2007.As the recent iPhones registered the largest display sizes in the lineup (5.5-inches for the 6 Plus and 6S Plus), Apple is looking for a way to make the device smaller and easier to handle.
They seek to solve this predicament through thinning the top and bottom bezels of iPhone. With symmetry being at the forefront of every Apple device's design language, trimming the top panel means taking away from the bottom as well, getting rid of the Home button altogether.
Other Design Changes
Gunning for the most premium looking and feeling smartphone in the market (and frankly, to justify the high price points of the iPhone devices), Apple is said to make the next generation iPhone body look like a single sheet of glass. This largely veers away from the metal and plastic material body that iPhone has been sporting since its inception. This move then steps into the competitors' den, as Samsung introduced their glass panel covered phones through the Galaxy S6 in 2015.
In addition to this, the display is also rumored to jump from the LED-backlit IPS LCD display to an OLED variant. This technology will allow for deeper blacks and higher contrast ratios as pixels are individually lit where color and light are present. This would also be more power efficient as less strain on the display is applied.
Lastly, Apple is also said to adopt the dual-curved display introduced by Galaxy S6 Edge. The screen panels to be used in the edge display of the iPhones will likely be supplied by Samsung itself. This move is seen by tech bloggers as Apple's way giving in to their rival as both OLED and curved displays are considered to be trademark features of Samsung Galaxy devices.
Change is Coming
With rumors circulating that the iPhone 7 to be released on September will not have a 3.5mm headphone jack, fans are quite disappointed. However, aside from this omission and the possible inclusion of a dual camera setup, the iPhone 7 will not see drastic design changes or innovation.
Apple might just have added fuel to the fire with the probable exclusion of the Home button, but the iPhone getting a major design overhaul is a welcome change. With competitors stepping up their game in design and features, it is only fitting for iPhone to follow suit.
