Apple’s iPhone 7 is expected to launch in 2016, bringing a new design and new features.

We are too far away from the iPhone 7 launch to know what the new device will look like, but we can speculate that Apple will continue on its path of introducing more powerful, efficient devices that grow thinner with each design iteration.

 

It’s likely Apple will continue releasing two versions of each iPhone, so we may see an iPhone 7 and an iPhone 7 Plus in 2016. Apple may stick to 4.7- and 5.5-inches, or take the opportunity to further refine screen sizes, shifting the dimensions somewhat to match the company’s design vision for the updated phones.

 

Though the iPhone 7 isn’t expected to launch until September of 2016, we’re already hearing some rumors about the device regarding display technology. One rumor out of the Asian supply chain has said Apple will switch to glass-on-glass touch panels for the iPhone 7, potentially allowing for an edge-to-edge display, but a second, more reliable rumor from KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo, has disagreed with that point, suggesting Apple will stick with in-cell panels.

 

The continued use of in-cell panels for the iPhone 7 will allow Apple to make the device even thinner, approaching the thinness of the iPod touch at a point between 6.0mm and 6.5mm. Apple’s current iPod touch measures in at 6.1mm, compared to 6.9mm for the iPhone 6 and 7.1mm for the iPhone 6 Plus. Like the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, the iPhone 7 will also use Force Touch technology.

 

Early rumors about the iPhone 7 suggest the next-generation device will have a strengthened, waterproof frame that ditches Apple’s traditional aluminum casing for an all new material. The new body will withstand both dust and water, making it better able to hold up when exposed to the elements.