Those in the business of theorizing what Apple will do next when it comes to the iPhone and other products have been extra busy in the lead up to Wednesday’s media event.
From an expected new iPhone 7 to a faster Apple Watch as well as various software updates, the rumors about changes big and small will hopefully be answered at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium starting at 10 a.m. PT. In the meantime, here’s a quick roundup of what’s out there:
iPhone
- First of all, if there was any doubt that an iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus might be coming and might be called by those names, BGR reports that a Reddit user was browsing the accessories page on Apple’s Hong Kong website when he came across both items under a menu of iPhone models.
- Ming Chi-Kuo, who is called the best Apple analyst on the planet by Cult of Mac, released a research note over the weekend on what he expects from the new iPhone. MacRumors and others cite his theories, in the bullet points below, ahead of Wednesday’s event.
- iPhone 7 is expected to come in five different colors: silver, gold, and rose gold and then two new colors, dark black and glossy piano black.
- The 4.7-inch phone will have an improved single-lens camera. The 5.5-inch phone will have a dual-lens camera. The 12-megapixel lenses on the Plus will be wide-angle and telephoto, and better low-light photography is expected.
- New storage capacities: 32 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB on both 7 and 7 Plus. The bigger phone will include 3 GB of DRAM because of the heftier camera system, while the 7 stay at 2 GB.
- The headphone jack is going away to make room for either an upgraded speaker or a new sensor for improved Home button 3D touch capabilities. The box for the phones will reportedly come with Lightning EarPods and a Lightning to 3.5 mm jack adapter.
Apple Watch
- Serious runners will be happy to hear that GPS may be coming to what most are calling Apple Watch 2. Wareable reports that problems with cellular connectivity could keep the device from being able to completely cut its iPhone cord in time for this release.
- Swimmers should also keep an eye on the Watch, as an improvement to the IPX7 water resistance is expected.
- Selfie lovers could be staring at the Watch for more than just telling the time or checking messages, as a front-facing camera is planned according to Patently Apple.
- Battery life improvements and a faster processor are also rumored.
Software
- Apple already revealed what to expect from its operating systems during its June 13 Worldwide Developers Conference. It’s the biggest update ever for iOS and new features include a redesigned lock screen, a new control center and expanded 3D touch as well as changes to iMessage, Music, Photos, Maps and News.
- Updates to macOS, watchOS and tvOS were also previously revealed and Wednesday’s event should bring further details about a release date.
Check back with GeekWire on Wednesday morning for updates from Apple’s event.
