iPhone 7: force touch, joystick, QHD or what?

The iPhone 7 is a long wait, apparently, as most people seem to be quite convinced that this year, the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus will be the stars of the show. Nonetheless, it’s odd that fresh rumors and leaks about the iPhone 7  and its upcoming features are still emerging. That leads us to believe that the iPhone 6S is not exactly a sure thing and the iPhone 7 might end up being Apple’s 2015 flagship after all. Whether that’s true or not remains to be seen, but we’re quite convinced the theory is at least plausible.

Setting aside the rumors regarding the iPhone 6S price, design, features and specs, let’s focus on the iPhone 7 and what the mill is churning about that. One of the most anticipated features is force touch, which is said to be embedded in the entire display that will adorn the iPhone 7. Moreover, there will be new features introduced into future versions of iOS that will make use of the force touch feature so that performance and user experience will end up being massively improved.

The iPhone 7 display is also said to be shiny, as in QHD with a resolution of 1440*2560. Although FHD and the Retina display with 401 ppip pixel density of the iPhone 6 Plus is said to be optimal and considered to be ideal by almost all users of the phablet, trends dictate that an increase will add to the appeal of the iPhone 7. Apple might want to innovate in the field and slapping a QHD LED-backlit panel with force touch onto the iPhone 7 would definitely qualify as innovation.

The force touch feature is especially popular since it was introduced on the Apple Watch this Spring and people are finding it useful. Although its usefulness is restricted by the size and capabilities of the Apple Watch, force touch remains an interesting concept. On the new MacBook, force touch is implemented in the trackpad for a seamless user experience and while users found it a bit confusing and unnecessary first, they quickly became accustomed to making good use of the accessibility feature.

Although force touch might be the main feature of the iPhone 7, Apple will most likely innovate in other areas of engineering as well. Patents describing a joystick embedded in the TouchID home button of the iPhone 7 would add a bit of fun to the gaming experience on iOS, which is already pretty nifty. Adding a retractable joystick would make the iPhone 7 the ultimate gaming machine, although many would say Android would still be best thanks to its casting possibilities and pairing opportunities.

Mini PCs running Android as well as TV boxes running the same platform have become quite popular, as people enjoy the collective gaming experience by adding real joysticks to the mix. If the iPhone  7 would have its own joystick, I’m sure many mobile gaming fans would appreciate the move and cross over to iOS just to experience the new feature. Nonetheless, sources say the joystick feature in the iPhone 7 might not be implemented in the end because it would add a considerable amount to the cost of the phone. We all know the iPhone 7 price will definitely not fall into the “affordable” price range, so adding even more cost to that with the joystick might not improve the sales numbers for the iPhone 7.

Performance is also said to be improved in the iPhone 7, although the Apple A8 chipset of the iPhone 6 line-up has proven its worth repeatedly over the past few months. Nonetheless, 1 GB RAM for such a powerful processor does seem like a waste and that’s an area where our leads say Apple will try improving a bit more. Samsung is manufacturing the Apple A9 chipset, and while some say it will be part of the iPhone 6S only, our sources tell us to expect the same type of processor from the same manufacturer to be in the iPhone 7. Whether that means the iPhone 6S will not occupy flagship position in the line-up or not will be revealed in September.

The iPhone 7 release date is said to be set for September, although the same rumor is going around about the iPhone 6S. While the iPhone 7 would suggest a significant upgrade and change in design and engineering, the iPhone 6S would rather come with minor improvements and just one or two novelties. Which is the explanation behind the rumors that Apple is going big this year, instead of going for small incremental upgrades.

Improving the price of the iPhone 7 or iPhone 6S does come with the supposition of a plastic body, which would be representative of a possible iPhone 6C. Apple does occasionally feel the need of approaching customers that don’t necessarily want to spend a fortune on a smartphone, and an iPhone 6C would be a great opportunity to appeal to these consumers. There is only a minute number of leaks concerning an iPhone 6C, but our sources suggest that it’s going to be launched this year, which fills people with confidence. Those who love the iOS experience and the iPhone camera would be most happy with an iPhone 6C, because its price would go down thanks to the inferior build materials. Nonetheless, Apple fans who value premium design would most likely gravitate towards an iPhone 7.

Our sources tell us that the iPhone 6S might not be the real deal and the September launch event that Apple is planning is going to take a different approach. Instead of launching an S-series, Apple might launch the iPhone 6C with a 4.7 inch Retina display and the iPhone 7, with a 5.5 inch QHD display complete with force touch. This theory is my favorite, seeing as it would show that Apple can cater to both business users and power users, as well as to people that have a lower budget for their gadgets annualy.

Tell us in the comments section below what your expectations of the iPhone 7, iPhone 6S and iPhone 6C are, and let’s see if any of us gets it right. Although we do have to wait a couple of months to find out what Apple is actually planning this year, it’s still fun to create new ideas and collect new theories about how technology will evolve, at least in the Apple point of view. iPhone 6 or 6 Plus owners: what would determine you to upgrade to the next model from Apple?