In 2016, Apple surprised many of its fans by releasing two new phones that featured the same design as the iPhones they were replacing. That concept isn’t terribly strange since Apple reuses designs all the time. What was odd about the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, however, was that they weren’t “S” phones, which always have the same basic exterior design along with upgraded internal components and features. Instead, Apple’s iPhone 7 handsets looked just like the company’s iPhone 6s handsets, which looked just like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. That’s three consecutive years with the same design, and many people weren’t happy about it.
Well, we’ve got some bad news for those people on Monday morning. This year’s iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus will indeed be big upgrades compared to last year’s phone. They’ll also sport new glass backs instead of the aluminum on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. But according to a fresh leak, the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus will sport the same overall design as their predecessors, potentially making this the fourth year in a row that Apple has recycled the design it introduced back in 2014.
Apple’s iPhone 8 is set to be unveiled in just a few weeks. Since this is the iPhone that will feature Apple’s bold new design, it’s also the iPhone that has everyone’s attention. Unfortunately, the iPhone 8 will be in extremely short supply for months to come following its release, so it’s not the new iPhone most Apple fans will end up with if they want an upgrade anytime soon. Instead, they’ll have to choose between the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus.
Both new 7s iPhone models will feature the new A11 processor and other key components from the iPhone 8. They’ll also have glass backs and wireless charging support like the iPhone 8. But as we can see in a new set of leaked CAD drawings posted by gadget blog Techno Buffalo, they’ll also feature the same overall iPhone designs we’ve seen since 2014.
A few of the leaked drawings can be seen below. They are believed to be accurate depictions of Apple’s new iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus based in details from the factories building these new phones.
iPhone 7s
iPhone 7s Plus
As you can see in both cases, the new iPhone 7s and 7s Plus lack all of the key features that differentiate the iPhone 8 from earlier iPhone models. They still have home buttons and massive bezels, they still have LCD displays with comparatively low display-to-body ratios, and they still have the same exact sizing and shape as the iPhone 6, 6s, and 7 duos.
Apple is expected to unveil all three new iPhone models during a press conference early next month.
