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iPhone 7 survival guide: Release date, specs, pricing and more

Published Aug 3rd, 2016 10:37AM EDT
iPhone 7 Release Date
Image: YouTube

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If all goes according to plan, we’re now a month and a few days away from seeing Apple unveil the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Rumor has it that the announcement will take place at a large press conference in California on either September 6th or September 7th, and the excitement among Apple fans is starting to boil over. But there have been so many leaks and rumors over the past couple of months that it has become difficult to dig through them and separate the reliable reports from the rumors that are unlikely at best, and ridiculous at worst.

For this post, we sifted through all the information out there to provide you with a one-stop shop for everything you need to know about Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7.

DON’T MISS: One of Apple’s carrier partners might have just leaked the blue iPhone 7

First things first: What can we expect from Apple in terms of the iPhone 7’s design and features?

Countless mockups of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus have been pictured at this point, but are they even accurate? Not everyone knows exactly how these dummy iPhone models come to be, but we explained it all again in a recent post. In a nutshell, actual iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus schematics that leaked from Foxconn are used to build models that are just about exact replicas of Apple’s unreleased iPhones. Accessory companies then use these models to develop accessories like protective cases that will then be ready to sell as soon as the new iPhones are released.

In other words, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models like these almost certainly show us exactly what Apple’s new iPhones are going to look like.

The design of the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is similar to the current iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. In fact, the design is shockingly similar. Word on the street from numerous reliable sources is that Apple has a big iPhone overhaul planned for next year to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the original iPhone’s release in 2007. So this year, Apple has a more mild redesign planned, though the phone’s internal specs are still expected to get a huge boost.

The iPhone 7 will basically be an iPhone 6 with a slightly thinner case, redesigned antenna lines, no 3.5mm headphone port and new cameras. The smaller 4.7-inch model is expected to feature a new and improved 12-megapixel single-lens camera while the larger iPhone 7 Plus sports a new dual lens setup, though it’s still unclear exactly what new features the dual lens camera will enable.

A brand new Apple A10 processor will power the new iPhones, but the biggest news where specs are concerned is going to be the storage. Kiss the 16GB iPhone good-bye because Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will start with twice the storage — 32GB.

It’s currently unclear if the middle- and top-tier models will also provide double the storage, but rumors from sources that have been reliable in the past suggest that will indeed be the case. If it pans out, we’re now looking at 32GB, 128GB and 256GB iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models. Meanwhile, pricing will seemingly stay the same, which means Apple’s new iPhone lineup would look like this:

  • iPhone 7 32GB: $649
  • iPhone 7 128GB: $749
  • iPhone 7 256GB: $849
  • iPhone 7 Plus 32GB: $749
  • iPhone 7 Plus 128GB: $849
  • iPhone 7 Plus 256GB: $949

Less solid rumors on the specs front suggest that the new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will feature a 3D Touch home button as well as some level of water- and dust-resistance. Wireless charging has also been tossed around for the iPhone 7, but we’ve heard it won’t be introduced until next year’s new iPhones are released. Some say we can expect Apple’s 2016 iPhone models to ship in a brand new color — either black or blue, if a recent leak from one of Apple’s carrier partners is to be believed. Finally, many people expect the iPhone 7 Plus to feature a Smart Connector similar to the one on the iPad Pro.

Last but most certainly not least, when is the iPhone 7’s release date?

According to a serial gadget leaker with a very good track record, Apple’s new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will go on sale beginning Friday, September 16th. The same source also said iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus preorders will begin one week earlier on Friday, September 9th.

Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.