Buy now or wait? Apple's new iPhone SE vs. the rumored 'iPhone 7'

It's one of the most common questions any prospective smartphone buyer asks: Should I buy now, or wait? The launch of the iPhone SE — an uncharacteristic-for-Apple mid-cycle upgrade — makes the answer slightly more complex this year.

If you prefer smaller phones, now is the time to buy the iPhone SE. If you want a larger screen and you can hold out, at this point you're probably better off waiting until September for the "iPhone 7" and skipping the iPhone 6s (or getting it at a discount).

It's been more than six months since the launch of the iPhone 6s. And while the iPhone 6s is a fantastic phone, we're now closer to the anticipated debut of an "iPhone 7" than we are to last year's launch of the iPhone 6s.

That puts prospective iPhone buyers in somewhat of a gray area. And for some, the launch of the iPhone SE may have muddied the waters even further.

For those unsure what to do, here's a helpful guide to deciding what's right for you.

Yes, there will still be an "iPhone 7" this fall

The launch of the new 4-inch iPhone SE has generated some anxiety that Apple may not launch a new flagship model this fall. Don't worry: All indications are that a full-fledged "iPhone 7" and "iPhone 7 Plus" are still in the cards.

What's it expected to have? The real selling point for most could be an all-new design. Apple has historically introduced an entirely new chassis with number upgrades, and this year it's expected to continue that tradition.

Inside, you can expect the usual array of enhancements, including a next-generation "A10" processor. The larger 5.5-inch "iPhone 7 Plus" is also expected to have more RAM for even greater performance.

The cameras will also see an upgrade, with rumors suggesting Apple is working on a dual lens design that could greatly improve stability and image quality, while also potentially adding an optical zoom function.

In all, the "iPhone 7" is expected to be a healthy upgrade from the iPhone 6s and the iPhone SE, which feature many of the same components.

Sizing up your options

The newly launched 4-inch iPhone SE will likely remain in Apple's lineup for awhile — Apple isn't expected to revamp that form factor this year. And it may not even touch it next year either.

So if you were holding out hope for a new 4-inch iPhone, right now is the time to buy. Apple's latest update is powerful and competitively priced, and it's expected to remain as-is through the end of 2016 and beyond.

You'll also save a fair amount of money: The iPhone SE starts at just $399, while it's likely the "iPhone 7" will carry Apple's typical entry price of $649. Saving $250 and getting a phone six months sooner is nothing to sneeze at.

But if you prefer a larger phone or you're a bleeding-edge type of user, the issue is a little more complex. Apple is expected to launch its new "iPhone 7" in September, putting us currently smack dab in the middle of the iPhone 6s cycle.

Timing, timing, timing

If you can wait, and you prefer larger (and better) screens on your iPhone, you probably want to put away your wallet and be patient. The "iPhone 7" is expected to be a big upgrade — the biggest since the iPhone 6.

Why wait? Well, if you're looking for the best in mobile technology, and you've already made it this long without an iPhone 6s, you'll be happier if you hold off.

Of course, not everyone can wait. Maybe your old iPhone 5s finally bit the dust. Maybe you dropped your iPhone 6 in the ocean and the cost of repairing it is prohibitive, but you still need a smartphone for the next six months. Maybe you don't really care about the latest and greatest.

For those buyers, the iPhone 6s is a great choice. You'll be happy with it. Just don't develop a sense of buyers' remorse come September, because there's always something new around the corner.

The headphone factor

Finally, let's touch on one persistent — but unconfirmed — rumor about the "iPhone 7." Namely, that it won't have a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack.

Even here, we think it's best to wait. If the "iPhone 7" truly does launch without a headphone jack, and that's a dealbreaker for you, the current iPhone 6s will almost assuredly drop in price by at least $100.

By waiting, you'll have the benefit of choosing between a new "iPhone 7," or a more affordable iPhone 6s. Given Apple's track record, that's likely to be a win-win situation.

Just remember: Patience is a virtue.


Source:appleinsider

Apple Loop: Worrying iPhone 7 Leak, Boring iPad Pro Design Revealed, Greedy iPhone SE Strategy

 Taking a look back at another week of news from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop includes the leaked iPhone 7 blueprints and third-party cases, Apple’s grab for cash with the iPhone SE design, a 3D-printed iPad Pro, new Apple Watch accessories, Apple vs FBI reaches for a Private Eye standard, a new man-in-the-middle iTunes malware attack, why you should not close apps, and a new ‘Messaging as a Platform’ app is released.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read the weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes).

iPhone 7 Blueprints Show Little Change

Although it is an even-numbered year, and the iPhone range generally gets a style refresh in these years, the iPhone 7 looks to be little more than an update to the iPhone 6 style. That’s according to blueprints leaked through French site NoWhereElse. These show the new antenna housing, the cut-outs for the camera, and a worrying trend of iteration. Gordon Kelly reports:

Despite the iPhone 7 expected to be a ‘design change year’, it appears Apple is not planning to make wholesale changes from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S that preceded it.

Antenna bands and camera module aside, the schematics appear to show a phone which is virtually identical is style designs Apple has been selling since 2014. This is likely to come as a disappointment given Apple is set to kill the headphone jack and the hope was, as compensation for this polarizing move, customers would see Apple make dramatic design improvements.

…and The iPhone 7 Case Leaks Confirms It

As well as blueprints, the supply chain has a number of case designs leaking this week, which confirms many of the design features of the presumptively titled iPhone 7 ahead of the launch in September. Gordon Kelly continues his look at the new design and the implication for the camera and the headphone jack:

17 months ago my analysis of Apple developer rule changes concluded that Apple would ditch the headphone jack on the iPhone within the next two years. Numerous leaks have since corroborated this and Unbox’s video again backs this up.

The case not only lacks a dedicated headphone jack port, but no slot on the case can even fit the Apple headphone plug – it’s a no go. Furthermore the case backs up growing talk that it will be replaced by an all in one (music and charging) Lightning cable and dual speaker arrangement.

Apple Grabs The SE Cash

The leaks around the iPhone SE, widely expected to be launched on Monday March 21st, show a device that is almost identical to the iPhone 5S, but with upgraded internals, and one critical change on the outside. By changing the edges to reflect the curved iPhone 6 design cues – as opposed to the harder edged iPhone 5S – Apple has rendered a huge range of peripherals as obsolete:

If, as Apple and many analysts suspect, the slowdown in iPhone sales is due to customers waiting on a replacement four-inch screened iPhone, then the iPhone SE is targeted at those users. Those users will likely have a bundle of favorite accessories. If they do upgrade to Apple’s latest handset (and Apple really needs everyone to upgrade this year) , they are going to have to buy everything again. Apple (and by extension the peripheral manufacturers in the Made for iPhone program) are going to see more sales on the ancillary products.

Is this the iPhone 7 Plus?

Apple is less than a week away from unveiling the iPhone SE, the company’s first new smartphone of 2016. Despite a questionable possible sighting in China that suggests otherwise, the phone is expected to look a great deal like the iPhone 5 but with more modern specs and newer features like Touch ID and Apple Pay.

But we’re already over it. Why? Because the rumor mill’s iPhone 7 leaks have already kicked into high gear, and we may have just gotten our first look at the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus.

Earlier this week, a leaked photo may have reveled the iPhone 7’s new design for the first time ever. It was pretty boring to be frank, but we explained why that’s not a problem.

According to that image, the iPhone 7 looked a lot like the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s, but with redesigned antenna lines and a camera lens that sat more flush with the phone’s body. Now, a new photo may show an iPhone 7 Plus prototype — or at least, the housing and some components from Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7 Plus — for the first time.

The image was first published by Chinese site Bastille Post, and it shows a phone that looks just like the one pictured in the leak from earlier this week. It also shows what appears to be a dual camera setup though, which is something that is rumored to be included on the iPhone 7 Plus but not on the smaller iPhone 7.

Also visible in the leaked photo are a series of three dots toward the bottom of the phone. These are believed to be the same Smart Connector hardware interface that debuted on the iPad Pro. There have not been any rumors thus far that explain how the connector might be used on Apple’s new iPhones, however.

The new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to launch this coming September.

Source:BGR

iPhone 7 Design 'Confirmed' In First Leaked Images

Today we get our first look at the iPhone 7 and, alongside arguably the most controversial design change in Smartphone history, potential owners are in for a shock…

French site NoWhereElse (home to prolific leaker OnLeaks) has obtained the first iPhone 7 schematics and they reveal Apple AAPL +1.05% plans to change – well, not a lot. Nevertheless the schematics, which OnLeaks (aka Steve Hemmerstoffer) ‏states are ‘confirmed’ give us 3 key revelations:

1.Goodbye Antenna Bands

It has long been rumoured that Apple has created a breakthrough ‘smart’ material that would enable it to finally kill off the unsightly antenna stripes on the iPhone range. The stripes are cut into the handsets’ aluminium chassis to stop it killing signal strength and, right on cue, NoWhereElse’s schematics show they have gone, which creates a much cleaner overall look.

iPhone 7 schematics show important changes, but do not have a Wow Factor. Image credit: NoWhereElse.fr

That said, antenna bands are expected to remain on the top and bottom edges of the iPhone 7 – something the technical drawings don’t reveal.

2.Upgraded Camera

It should be no surprise that the iPhone 7 will sport an upgraded camera – every new iPhone does – but the NoWhereElse schematics show something that Apple hasn’t done in several years: make the module bigger.

 

The track record of NoWhereElse’s schematics drawings is unparalleled. Even if there’s irony in the images being taken on a computer running Windows. Image credit: NoWhereElse.fr

3.Thinner Design

While the dimensions are not shown in the leak, Hemmerstoffer says iPhone 7 schematics are marginally thinner than the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus – models which were actually fractionally thicker than the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Ever thinner smartphones have started to irritate customers who’d rather manufacturers focused on practicalities like bigger batteries. Samsung finally accommodated this with the superb Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge so, if Apple does not do the same, it could prove a controversial move.

Of course the biggest talking point with the leaked schematics though is clear to everyone…

Source: Forbes

Apple's Product Launch Event Set for March 21

Apple announced Thursday its next product launch event will be March 21, one day before it squares off with federal prosecutors over the government's demand for help unlocking an encrypted iPhone.

Analysts and tech blogs are anticipating a 4-inch iPhone, a smaller iPad pro and new bands for the Apple Watch. But the company provided no details with its announcement of the event, in keeping with its usual effort to build anticipation for its new products.

An invitation sent to reporters on Thursday said only "Let us loop you in." The event will take place at Apple's 1 Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, California.

Apple's twice-yearly product events are highly anticipated and the speculation that precedes them is rampant. The backdrop to this year's event is a high-stakes legal dispute between the FBI and the Obama administration, which has chafed at Apple's use of encryption that make its customers' data unreadable to others.

Federal authorities want Apple's help in over-riding security features on an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino mass shooters, so the FBI can attempt to examine the phone. Apple CEO Tim Cook contends the government's demand would make other iPhones vulnerable. Both sides will make their case to a federal magistrate in Riverside on March 22.

While Apple executives say the company is continually working on increased security measures, they haven't said whether they will announce any new encryption or other safeguards at this month's event. What is more certain is a push by Apple to boost sales with new versions of some popular products.

A 4-inch iPhone would reverse an industry trend, which has turned out larger and larger screens. The most recent iPhone models have come with 4.7- or 5.5-inch screens, which have sold extremely well, particularly in Asian countries where larger phones made by Apple's rivals had been big sellers in previous years.

But with sales now starting to plateau, analysts say Apple could spark additional demand by offering an updated 4-inch iPhone alongside the bigger models. The smaller phone is expected to sell at a lower price and would appeal to those who never bought into the larger screens. In an upgrade from older 4-inch iPhones, the new model is expected to have a faster processor and features like Apple Pay, which until now has been available only on larger iPhones.

Similarly, Apple has been trying to boost sagging iPad sales by offering more sizes and models. The new iPad tablet is expected to be a 9.7-inch version of the iPad Pro, which Apple introduced last year. While the new model will be the same size as Apple's regular iPads, it's also a step back from the first iPad Pro, which has a larger, 12.9-inch screen and other features for professional users — including a thin, detachable keyboard and stylus that are sold separately.

Tablet sales from all makers are expected to fall nearly 6 percent this year, according to analysts at International Data Corp., but more people are buying new models with detachable keyboards. A longtime Apple rival, Microsoft, has seen strong demand for its Surface Pro tablets with keyboards.

Apple Loop: Secret iPhone 7 Design Leaks, An iPhone-Killing Earthquake, Apple's New Wireless Earbuds

Taking a look back at another week of news from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop includes the impossibly thin iPhone 7, the potential of a new iPhone Pro with dual camera lens support, Apple’s latest patents for magnetic headphones and flexible circuits, the failure of Connect to evolve, a look at Apple’s Campus 2 construction, the earthquake that nearly stopped the iPhone 7, and why your snoozed alarm defaults to nine minutes.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read the weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes).

How Practical Will The iPhone 7 Be?

Jony Ive’s stylish focus on thin could be having a negative impact on the iPhone 7. Reports from the supply chain suggest that the new handset will have a thickness of 6.3 millimeters… one millimeter less than the iPhone 6S. That’s great for the fashionistas, but not great if you are looking for something useful… like a battery. That’s not the only thing missing from the leaks, as Forbes’ Amit Chowdhry reports:

Previously, there were rumors that the iPhone 7 was going to be waterproof. Mac Otakara’s sources claim that this is not true. This is a disappointment because the Galaxy S7 is IP68 dust-proof and water resistant so the upcoming Apple flagship smartphone device will be less durable than the new Samsung flagship. This means Samsung may be able to retain or gain a customer base that prefers rugged devices.

Smaller battery and may not be waterproof… Is Apple looking to be the exact opposite to Samsung’s Galaxy S7? 

 

iPhone 6S Case review (image: Ewan Spence)

Are You Ready For An iPhone Pro?

That’s assuming that September’s next generation iPhone will be called the iPhone 7. Given the news that March’s four-inch screened device that will sit lower in Apple’s portfolio is dropping the ’5′ moniker to be known as the iPhone SE, Apple’s naming strategy could point to a new and interesting identity:

 …the new flagship iPhone due for release in September. We’re all expecting this to be called the iPhone 7. But the loss of the dating numbers in the iPhone SE, the naming convention employed on the iPad, and Tim Cooks apparent drive to simplify the portfolio and marketing could point to another name.

I would not be surprised to see the next iPhone get something just as simple, clean, and functional as the rest of the updated portfolio. Apple should hand its next smartphone a clean name that can stand alongside the iPad, the iPad Pro, and the iPhone SE.

Can Apple’s marketing team launch an iPhone Pro and keep the focus on the rest of the portfolio?

Are You Ready For The Secret iPhone Pro Pro?

If you are keeping track, that gives Apple the iPhone SE in March, the iPhone 7/Pro and the iPhone 7S/Pro in September. But why stop at three? A secret fourth iPhone could be released this year, and Gordon Kelly has the low-down on a potential image-focused iPhone:

Consequently the three iPhone 7 models will be the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus and a new and even more premium model based around (already huge) Plus which some are dubbing the ‘iPhone 7 Pro’. What’s the difference between the Pro (I’ll go with the name for now) and the Plus? A groundbreaking camera. In fact, I should say groundbreaking ‘cameras’ because Kuo says the iPhone 7 Pro will use a dual-lens camera system created by LinX, an imaging specialist Apple purchased in 2015.

…So why is Apple doing it? It must think either a) LinX technology is so impressive customers need to see it and be blown away, or b) it will cover for limitations in Apple’s standard camera technology which fell behind Samsung’s Galaxy S6, especially as the gap is about to widen further with the Galaxy S7.

Samsung’s imaging advantage is going to be a vital weapon for the South Korean company, and with the launch of the Gear360 camera it’s going to extend that lead over Apple, especially if the Galaxy S7 family can easily defeat the iPhone 7 family in a straight shoot-out. So why not have a ‘special team’ camera phone? Is maintaining an air of superiority with the fragmentation of the iPhone line?

Source: Forbes