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The iPhone 7 is just over five months away. Apple’s next smartphone will need to bring some major design changes and, as with every Apple update, the iPhone 7 will be faster, thinner and even more sophisticated than its predecessor. So what should we expect this September? It looks like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will become with at least one new killer feature – but this time around, rumours suggest Apple will release a third, image-focused iPhone Pro. But what else? Here you’ll find all the most important predictions for the iPhone 7, including release date, price, specs and more.

1. Release date

Almost every iPhone - apart from the iPhone SE - is released in the last few weeks of September, and we don’t think the iPhone 7 will be any different. Reports suggests that chip manufacturers are already gearing up to increase production in Q2 and Q3 of this year and that fits in with a September iPhone 7 release date perfectly.

2. Specs

Reports suggest the iPhone 7 could come with 3GB of RAM – the largest amount ever shipped in an iPhone. In comparison, the iPhone 6s had 2GB of Samsung LPDDR4 RAM, while the iPhone 6 used 1GB of slower, DDR3 RAM. As for the processor? We expect the iPhone 7 to use an A10 chip, and it's probably going to be made by either TSMC, Samsung or a combination of the two.

3. Dual-camera

Reports from pretty much everywhere suggest the iPhone 7 will have a dual-camera array. The multi-camera technology is reportedly from Linx, a company Apple bought just under a year ago. We think the dual-cameras won't be used for 3D capability, but will make autofocusing faster and give better low-light pictures. Pretty much what the new Huawei does, then.

However, it looks like not every iPhone 7 could have the new double camera setup. Several experts have suggest the dual-camera array will be reserved for the high-end version of the iPhone 7, which will probably be called the iPhone 7 Pro. 

4. No headphone jack

This rumour keeps cropping up, so it’s really starting to look like the headphone jack’s days are numbered. First, code in the iOS 9.3 beta suggested the headphone jack was about to go, and then a research memo acquired by AppleInsider, the iPhone 7 will lose its headphone jack – but gain an extra speaker like the iPad Pro. Most of the leaked pictures we’ve seen of the iPhone 7 also don’t have an headphone jack - so it really might be going.

5. Waterproof casing

The iPhone 6s is more waterproof than we thought, but the iPhone 7 should be totally resistant against liquids. After filing a patent for ports that eject water several months ago, Apple filed another for connections that self-heal – solving one of the main challenges of making a phone waterproof. Besides, it's about time Apple made a waterproof handset; its rivals like the Samsung S7 and Sony smartphones have been waterproof for ages. 

6. No ugly antenna lines

The iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s are obviously the most refined phones Apple has ever made - buy they weren't without their faults. While the front of the handsets is pretty sparse, the rear of Apple's current flagships feature a protruding camera and antenna lines - designed to improve reception. According to a report by Mac Rumors, the iPhone 7 will look similar to the iPhone 6s, but with one major exception. The website’s source says the new iPhone’s rear camera should be flush with the rest of its body – fixing a major gripe of the iPhone 6’s design.

7. Better battery life

The Chinese site Digi.tech.qq.com leaked images of what could be the iPhone 7’s battery – and it suggests Apple’s next phone could have better battery life.

The image shows a battery with a capacity of 7.04 watt hours (Wh), which is slightly larger than the iPhone 6s’ 6.61Wh. Interestingly, this is almost the same as the iPhone 6’s 7.01Wh. Elsewhere, another report suggests that the iPhone 7 smartphone will include a huge 3,100mAh battery – making it 12.7% larger than that in the iPhone 6s Plus. While that’s already a large increase, improvements in processor efficiency and iOS tweaks mean that figure will probably grow.

8. UK price

The cost of Apple's handset has remained fairly consistent over the years, so we expect the iPhone 7 to launch at around the same price as the iPhone 6s. That means the asking price for the next Apple smartphone should start at around £500 to £550, while the Plus variety should cost between £600 and £650.

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