Sometimes an executive blathers and gives something interesting away.
In this case, Winstron CEO Robert Hwang, Apple’s primary iPhone manufacturer in India, confirmed that the upcoming iPhone will be waterproof and feature wireless charging.
Per Nikkei, Hwang’s comment noted that Apple’s next-gen iPhones will feature additional waterproofing as well as wireless features:
Amidst all the rumors, there’s got to be a nugget of truth in here somewhere.
Apple’s next-gen iPhone is said to feature an “enhanced receiver” with “further improvements” to stereo sound and waterproofing, according to new research shared this week by JPMorgan analysts, who track the company’s supply chain in the Asia-Pacific region.
As of now, the receiver is embedded in the slim, meshed earpiece cutout above the screen that the user holds against their ear during a phone call. Since the iPhone 7, it has doubled as a full-out speaker. With two speakers, Apple says the iPhone 7 delivers two times the audio output of an iPhone 6s with increased dynamic range.
The current rumors are in and according to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new OLED iPhone will use a flexible display panel, which will likely allow it to curve around the sides of the main chassis. However, this makes it incompatible with the existing 3D Touch pressure sensors seen in the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7.
As a result, the next-gen iPhone will switch from a ‘FBCB sensor to a film sensor’, offering higher sensitivity and a wider range of 3D Touch pressure levels.
The overall iPhone 7 shape and size may just be identical to that found in the iPhone 6s.
A purported sketch obtained by nowhereelse.fr points towards the next-generation smartphone having the same length and width as the iPhone 6s.
The drawing, which has yet to be verified, shows the iPhone 7 has the same 138.3mm (5.44 inches) length and 6.71mm (2.64 inches) width as the iPhone 6s, but the depth of the new smartphone is not listed for comparison.
This could be nifty.
Per The Unofficial Apple Weblog, accessory outfitter Liquipel claims to make your smartphone water resistant by bonding it inside and out with a “nano” coating which repels water.
The downside (for now) is that you’ll have to send your device off to Liquipel for a few days for them to coat it. A rep has stated that the company is hoping to work directly with manufacturers to integrate their coating before you buy a phone. In that case, you’d buy a water resistant phone automatically, eliminating the need for a LifeProof case or OtterBox if you’re just going to have your phone by the pool.
Currently the Liquipel coating costs US$59 for a 1-2 day turnaround for coating your phone.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.