Apple iPhone 7 is slated for a September release with a new design. (Photo : YouTube/ConceptsiPhone)
In time for the iPhone 7 release date in the second half of 2016 Apple is likely to unbox the flagship device with up to 256GB of internal memory, a further slimmed down provide and a massive battery upgrade. One big bonus is the possible inclusion of optical image stabilization on all iPhone models, according to new reports.
Apple can double the size of the 128GB iPhone 6S and 6S Plus this year if the tech giant will use the 256GB NAND flash memory chip from SanDisk. The memory chipmaker, according to MacRumors, previously supplied storage chips to Apple that were used beginning with the iPhone 5 in 2012 so the chance is high that SanDisk will also be part of the iPhone 7 supply chain as well as the 2016 iPad refresh.
And while increasing the next iPhone storage capacity, the new chip from SanDisk actually shrunk in size. In an imaged carried by the same MacRumors report, the 256GB NAND flash ship was shown side by side with its 64GB counterpart and the latter is noticeably bigger.
So the new SanDisk memory chip makes for a viable option even as the both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are rumored to further trim down by up to 1mm in depth. And since the same chip will free up more inner space on the next iPhone, the device will be able to accommodate a significant battery bump.
MacRumors said that the regular iPhone 7 is rumored to arrive with a 3100mAh battery pack.
Another big feature upgrade likely to debut with the iPhone refresh this year is the implementation of hardware optical image stabilization or OIS across all models. Beginning with the iPhone rollout in 2014, hardware OIS was made exclusive to bigger iPhone 6 Plus and 6S Plus model but that could change this 2016.
The possibility was hinted by a newly-published Apple patent, according to BGR. If true, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will deliver the biggest camera upgrades yet for an iPhone model as the 2016 batch is also rumored to pack a dual-camera system that will bring the devices' shooting capabilities much closer to DSLR-level.
In keeping with its in-place rollout calendar, Apple's iPhone 7 release date is not expected until September 2016. The device will be powered by the combo of A10 processing chip and iOS 10, which should be introduced via the 2016 WWDC in June.
