Everything you need to know about the iPhone 7

Sort the facts from the rumours with our handy guide to Apple's latest gadget

The next iteration of the iPhone is due to go on sale in a little under a month – on September 16. But what can we expect from the new Apple gadget? Rumours are rife, and with everything from waterproofing to processing being discussed online, it’s time to ask: What can we really expect from the iPhone 7?

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Although Apple make considerable technological advancements with each new iteration of their iPhone, the jump in camera quality is set to be more notable than ever. Some speculation sites are floating the idea that this superior camera will only feature on an iPhone ‘Pro’ released alongside the standard 7, but most believe that even the basic model will feature a 21 megapixel camera – capable of capturing DSLR-quality images.

But, with just an 8 megapixel camera on the current iPhone 6, this would be an incredibly bold move. But does that make the move unlikely? Perhaps, but Apple aren’t famed for playing it safe.

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In terms of general design, the iPhone 7 is predicted to look almost identical to its predecessor. Several tech rumour mills would have you think that the standard handset will, once again, grow in size, but this seems unfounded. The possibility of a larger companion model, in the same vein as the iPhone 6 Plus, is virtually a given, but we predict that the basic model will remain the same in size.

The same, however, cannot be said for colour. Where the monochromatic iPhone 6 fell short, the 7 promises to up the exuberance factor and launch in a range of colours, from the usual silver and space grey to gold, rose gold, blue and, if certain outlets are to be believed, purple.

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Originally fuelled by leaked images of cases that did not accommodate the usual 3.5mm headphone jack, this seems to be the one rumour that everyone has now accepted. Apple seem to have eschewed the classic headphone jack in favour of either headphones that plug into their lightning charging port, or completely wireless headphones.

What these will look like, how they will work, and whether they will be included in the price of the basic handset remain to be seen.

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Another widely reported rumour is that the physical home button, situated at the bottom centre of every iPhone to date, will disappear in favour of a force-sensitive touch ID panel. Some tech forecasters believe that removing moving parts will lead to increased durability and fewer repairs – but the choice has attracted criticism in some camps from those who found the physical button reassuringly tactile.

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Following in the footsteps of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Sony Xperia Z5, messages in the operating system for the iPhone 7 suggest that it may be water resistant, or even waterproof. Warning owners not to ‘charge when wet’, the message may be an indicator that the latest Apple gadget will be impervious to water – meaning that you can finally throw out that tupperware box of rice you keep in the cupboard in case of sub-mergencies.

Wireless charging looks set to be another of the new iPhone’s features, with rapid charging technology ‘Fast Charge’ also joining the power party. A slightly more left field suggestion is that Apple are embedding small solar panels under the touchscreen to soak up power throughout the day. A good idea, but with leaked images proving that the handset will have a bigger battery anyway, could some of these multiple power developments be criticised as gimmicky?

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Likely to arrive with Apple’s new iOS 10 software, the new iPhone is rumoured to boast a processor called the A10 chip – which will bring untold benefits to the handset’s performance. Increased storage of 256GB will also cut down on those pesky ‘Storage Almost Full’ notifications.

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