Apple is likely to make a lot of changes with its upcoming flagship smartphone, the iPhone 7, specifically with its storage options.
A recent report claims that the iPhone 7 will ship with at least 32GB base storage dropping the usual 16GB model. Research firm TrendForce adds that the mid-tier 64GB storage may be replaced with 128GB alongside a new 256GB version.
According to MacRumors, Apple is certain to raise the maximum storage option to 256GB so that the iPhone 7 will have the highest NAND Flash density in the entire iPhone series.
The report does not state if the 256GB storage option will be exclusive to the 5.5-inch variant of the iPhone 7 or if it will also be available to the 4.7-inch model.
The Cupertino-based company has not yet commented on these reports but some tech enthusiasts have noted that doing away with the 16GB storage option would mean that the phone will cost more than what the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus were priced when they were launched last year.
Some tech analysts say that the company should consider that the storage option is also one of the basic standards of phone price.
Some users, on the other hand, liked the idea of doing away with the infamous 16GB model since a larger RAM is needed for iOS updates.
Earlier this year, Chinese website MyDrivers predicted Apple to apply such strategic move. The website also predicted that the upcoming flagship device will be packed with a 12.7% larger 3,100 mAh battery along with the latest operating system, iOS 10.
The report also corroborates other rumors about the iPhone 7 including a dual-lens camera and 3GB of LPDDR4 RAM all being exclusive to the larger model.
The 4.7-inch variant is rumored to retain a single-lens camera and 2GB of RAM. No major display upgrades are expected to come in the iPhone 7 models until the tech giant switches to OLED in 2017.
Earlier leaks have suggested that the camera lens on the iPhone 7 will once again protrude from the back portion of the device just like the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus.
Other rumors suggest that the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus will share a design similar to its predecessor, minus the 3.5mm headphone jack. The device is said to be equipped with better display features, greater specs, and the latest camera technology.
Also, initial rumors for the phone insisted that the handset will do away with the home button and will shift into a pure touchscreen display.
MacWorld UK speculates that the iPhone 7 could finally get a Type-C USB port just like the new 12-inch MacBook. However, the change from 30-pin to Lightning is something users would have to adjust to so a Type-C USB port could be deemed controversial.
This year’s flagship device is speculated to feature a faster A10 chip, waterproofing, repositioned antenna bands, faster LTE and Wi-Fi chips, and more.
Meanwhile, a new leak of the iPhone 7 suggests that Apple might also ditch the antenna bands. The photo seen on the Chinese website Sina Weibo, shows a rose gold version of the upcoming phone clearly missing the antenna bands.
Initially, reports were insisting that the tech giant will just reposition the antenna bands but it consistently pointed towards Apple ditching these plastic bands to make the handset’s metal design look more uniform and altogether tidier.
As per International Business Times, the phone is highly rumored to feature an all-glass casing with the chassis reinforced by a metal frame.
The all-glass casing is reportedly already in development and is one of the reasons for the delay of the release date of the phone, as the device will require advanced processing technology.