iPhone 7 release date, news and rumors iPhone 7 design

Update: The iPhone 7 may have been caught on video and photographed with the screen on, while fresh reports say the phone will have a new color option, a larger camera lens, ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack and be thinner - with 32GB the minimum storage choice.

Want to know the iPhone 7 release date or all the incoming features? You've come to the right place. It's going to be a big change this year, as the iPhone 6Sis underwhelming because it doesn't bring anything amazing aside from fancy new 3D Touch technology.

But Apple always goes bigger on the non-S variants (think about the big jumps the iPhone 4, iPhone 5 and iPhone 6 brought) so we're expecting big changes both in and out.

We've collected all the latest from around the web, sifted through the likelihood of each rumor and given you our expert take on what to expect from Apple's launch - so read on to find the authoritative take on your possible next phone.

• Fancy Android instead? Here's our full review of the Samsung Galaxy S7. Looking for something smaller? Then you'll want to check out the iPhone SE - while our iPhone 7 Plus rumors page should cover all your big screen needs.
• Want to know about the next-gen rivals? Well, check out our expert analysis on the new Samsung phones for 2017 - including the Galaxy S8 release date and all we know on the Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge.

Cut to the chase

• What is it? A rebooted iPhone, with new powers, features and design
• When is it out? Almost nailed on for September 2016
• What will it cost? Very likely the same as the iPhone 6S

iPhone 7 release date

If we were betting folk, we'd bet the house on the fact the iPhone 7 will launch in September 2016. Apple sticks to a schedule and the last few iPhones have all been launched in the month of September.

Oh, there's a possibility it could be earlier, as according to a 'reliable source'Apple might actually bring it to market earlier. Sadly, how much earlier is unclear and we hear this rumor every year. It never happens.

It will take a while to finish development and manufacturer of the phone, so we wouldn't expect to see it before September. Autumn is exactly when iOS 10 is due. It just makes sense for September.

TechRadar's take: Don't book holiday in the first half of September if you want to see everything about the launch...

• More: What WWDC secretly told us about iPhone 7

iPhone 7 cost

Hottest leaks:

• Prices to remain static
• Smallest storage size to increase to 32GB for same cost

The iPhone cost rarely varies from year to year, and price rumors from Weibosuggest just that.

That means the iPhone 7 price will be around US$649 (£539, AU$1079), but here's the good news: for that money you'll apparently get 32GB of storage rather than 16GB.

At the top end it will be more expensive than the US$849 / £699 / AU$1379 iPhone 6S 128GB, but you'll apparently get 256GB of storage.

There's some confusion over whether there will be a 64GB or 128GB 'middle option': a leak from WeChat, spotted by BGR, agree on the prices for all three sizes, with the middle choice coming in at 6088 yuan, which is the same price as the mid-sized (64GB) iPhone 6S in China, around £619 / US$749 / AU$1229.

The sources can't agree on is whether you'll get 64GB of storage or 128GB for that money - 32GB, 64GB and 128GB options seem the most likely.

TechRadar's take: A larger base storage option, but very little price rise as the iPhone is already at the top end of acceptable cost.

iPhone 7 design

Hottest leaks:

• Water resistance
• Bezel-less metal body
• Redesigned antennas
• While we were expecting big design changes for the iPhone 7, we've got bad news for Apple fans: it might be very similar outside of a few tweaks here and there.
  We could get a new color option though, with rumors suggesting Apple will add a 'Space Black' shade to the mix, likely similar to the black Apple Watch option. That's not been seen on an iPhone since 2012's iPhone 5.
  You can see the likely shape of it in the image below, which could be our clearest look yet at the phone, showing off the redesigned antenna bands and a single lens snapper. Another similar shot has appeared on nowhereelse.fr
• Or for a less clear but more mobile look at the phone there's even now been a leaked video. It doesn't show anything new, but it's our first look at the iPhone 7 in motion.

  Slimmer model

  The iPhone 7 is said to be slimmer than the 7.1mm-thick iPhone 6S; Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities reckons it'll drop to between 6mm and 6.5mm. That sounds unnecessarily slim to us, especially as it could cause the battery life to take a hit, but the Samsung Galaxy S6 is only marginally thicker at 6.8mm, so it's possible.
  If TSMC makes the chips, as has been rumored, then some space could be saved, which might help Apple slim it down without making sacrifices in other areas. Another report claims Apple will use fan-out technology to save space andreduce the thickness of the iPhone 7.

  A waterproof phone?

  The iPhone 7 could be built to last too, as according to Mac Otakara there are a number of iPhone prototypes with "ruggedized" features, which could mean a water and dust-resistant phone is on the way.
  In fact, that's exactly what we'll get according to a supply chain source. Apple screen supplier Japan Display has come up with a new technology called "Pixel Eyes", that is now in its second generation and makes it easier to use the screen while you have wet fingers.
  However, another report has suggested Apple will opt for a slimmer phone rather than a waterproof iPhone 7. Apple will likely get a new LCD display technology as well, which could allow the iPhone 7 to be 1mm thinner than before.

  No more camera bump or antenna bands

  A design tweak rumor which will likely please many is that Apple will ditch the camera bump which has been present since the iPhone 6/6 Plus - with the firm going for a sleeker finish on the iPhone 7.
  As well as being totally flat the back could also be uninterrupted, as the same report points towards the removal of the antenna bands.
  That tallies with an image leak picked up by Nowhereelse.fr, which claims its snapshot shows the iPhone 7 to have no antenna bands and a larger camera..
• Apple won't release its next-generation iPhone until the fall of 2016, so there are still months of development ahead. For the current time, Apple's flagship iPhones are the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, released to the public in September of 2015.
  Though it will be several months before the new iPhone 7 launches, rumors about the device started trickling out in January of 2016. We've already gleaned many details about the upcoming iPhone, giving us plenty of information on what to expect when it debuts.
  Since the 3GS launched in 2009, Apple has used an alternating "S" naming formula to mark years where the iPhone does not receive a major redesign, saving its numbered upgrades for years where design changes are introduced. Releases have been as follows:
  2007 - iPhone
• 2007 - iPhone
  2008 - iPhone 3G
  2009 - iPhone 3GS
  2010 - iPhone 4 (new design)
  2011 - iPhone 4s
  2012 - iPhone 5 (new design)
  2013 - iPhone 5s
  2014 - iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus (new design)
  2015 - iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
  The next-generation iPhone is expected to be called the iPhone 7, but there have been some rumors suggesting Apple could drop its standard numbered naming convention, instead calling the 2016 iPhone the "iPhone Pro." It is unclear at this point if those rumors are accurate.
  Because 2015 marked an "S" iPhone upgrade year that introduced new features such as an improved camera and a better processor, 2016 will bring an even-year upgrade that will include a new iPhone design in addition to new features.
  Apple will continue releasing two versions of each iPhone, so we can expect to see an iPhone 7 and an iPhone 7 Plus in 2016. Apple is said to be planning to stick to the 4.7- and 5.5-inch screen sizes it first introduced with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
  Apple is still working on finalizing the iPhone 7's body so we don't know exactly what it will look like, but multiple rumors suggest it will be a modest update that continues to use a design similar to the design of the iPhone 6s. It is said to have the same general shape as the iPhone 6s, but it may have a camera that protrudes less (though rumors currently disagree on this point). Antenna bands across the back of the device have been removed, but are expected to remain at the top, bottom, and sides of the iPhone. The front of the iPhone is also expected to see some changes with a longer earpiece cutout and a relocated ambient light sensor.
• Some rumors suggest Apple is aiming to make the iPhone 7 up to 1mm thinner, perhaps through theremoval of the 3.5mm headphone jack and the implementation of a thinner Lightning port, but other rumors suggest the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will have a body that is the same thickness as the iPhone 6s.
  With no headphone jack, wired headphones will connect to the iPhone 7 using its Lightning port and Bluetooth headphones will connect wirelessly. Apple is rumored to be working on Lightning-equipped EarPods to sell alongside the iPhone 7. The removal of the headphone jack may also improve water resistance.
  Blueprints and an image of a device said to be the iPhone 7 Plus have surfaced depicting a Smart Connector on the back of the shell, suggesting that is another potential feature, but it is not yet clear what it would be used for and other rumors have said it will not be included. If the Smart Connector rumors are accurate, it appears it will be a feature limited to the larger-screened model.
• Internal specs for the iPhone 7 aren't yet known, but we can speculate Apple will continue on its path of introducing more powerful, efficient devices with each design iteration. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to include next-generation A10 processors manufactured by TSMC. Internal storage space is getting a boost, with entry-level devices expected to start at 32GB instead of 16GB.
  There are rumored to be some distinguishing features between the iPhone 7 and the larger-screened iPhone 7 Plus. The iPhone 7 may ship with 2GB RAM, while the iPhone 7 Plus could include 3GB RAM, and there is said to be a different camera system in the iPhone 7 Plus that uses two cameras instead of one with 2-3x optical zoom and improved performance in low-light conditions. The iPhone 7 will likely continue to use a standard single-lens camera as multiple sources have said the dual lens camera is exclusive to the 5.5-inch iPhone.
  All in all, the iPhone 7 is expected to feature only minor changes, which has led to speculation and rumors suggesting demand for the 2016 device will be weak due to a "lack of innovation."