Apple is planning a major overhaul of the iPhone in 2017.
According to noted KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the 2017 iPhone will be cased in curved glass made from liquid metal and paired with a curved 5.8-inch AMOLED display – a technology which allows higher contrast and brighter colours.
The phone’s design is also going to go back to the ‘glass sandwich’ model of the iPhone 4, but will be taken ‘to the next level’ in building the 2017 iPhone, MacRumors reports.
And, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a long track record in accurate predictions, the phone will be unlocked just by looking at it. The iPhone 7 will have more biometric security options such as facial and iris recognition.
While the noted analyst isn’t sure on the name of the 2017 phone yet (rumours say iPhone 7s or iPhone 8), he does predict that the phone will have wireless charging and a completely revamped look.
With all it’s cool, new features though, he did say that, ‘given the curved design, the new model may look smaller than an existing 5.5-inch iPhone.’
Such a major change in the 2017 lineup would be a significant departure form Apple’s usual two-year pattern of keeping the same body style before making major changes. The current iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are currently in the second year of body style, and normally, this years’ iPhone 7 would be expected to make major external changes. But rumours have suggested that changes to 2016’s iPhone 7 could be minimal – with the 2017 iPhone being the main game-changer.
If Ming-Chi Kuo is right, you may want to hold off until the 2017 release if you’re looking for a newer, cooler iPhone.
