The feature upgrades packed with the iPhone 7 are thought to be in preparation for the major redesign that the 2017 iPhones - likely to be called iPhone 8 series - will be. Rumors said the next iPhone will boast of an edge-to-edge display with the Home button no longer around and the latest indicator of such a plan appears to be iOS 10.
Or more correctly, a newly discovered feature of iOS 10. In a new report, MacRumors showcased a scenario in which the new solid state and capacitive Home key was rendered unusable and require servicing. Thankfully, the new iOS version included an integrated solution that allows the use of an onscreen Home button.
An image of the IOS 10 feature in action was shared by a MacRumors forum member, who reported that his iPhone 7 home key was rendered unusable - the Taptic Engine became unresponsive when the device was charging and following a restart. Apparently, Apple has anticipated the issue and included with iOS 10 a quick fix.
As shown in the report, the workaround is an onscreen Home key though it is a temporary fix the iOS 10 diagnostic tool also advised that the malfunctioning capacitive control key will likely require immediate repair.
The unearthed iOS 10 feature, which actually is identical with the Accessibility feature found in previous versions, seems pointing to what Apple plans for the next iPhone. With a software version of the Home key already in place, one can only assume that rumors of the iPhone 8 ditching the physical control next year could come true.
Apple offering a software alternative to the Home button in IOS 10 is hinting too of an upcoming overhaul of its flagship device. Analysts have predicted that with the next iPhone front panel free of the iconic control key, the edge-to-edge display long envisioned by Apple design chief Jony Ive will be finally realized.
"The challenge may be in figuring out things like embedded cameras and sensors, but Apple has already been working on patenting such technology," Apple Insider said in a related report.
And as part of the makeover for the iPhone 8 on its 2017 release date, the tech giant is said to finally switch from LCD to OLED display. The next iPhone is believed to skip the S phase next year to mark the 10th anniversary of the flagship device, which the late Steve Jobs first introduced in 2007.