The launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus is still months away, but that has not stopped rumors from slowing down. The most rampant dialogue surrounding the upcoming Apple device claims it will be both waterproof and dustproof. Additionally, the gadget will reportedly have a touch-sensitive home button, according to Taiwanese website DigiTimes.
Rumors surrounding the home button first emerged in June 2015 when it was reported that Apple was looking for display technology with “integrated fingerprint sensors” so that Apple could eliminate the home button entirely. Last month, the tech giant received a patent for a pressure-sensitive Liquidmetal home button that shapeshifts when touched and returns to its original state when a user removes pressure.
Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz stated last week that Apple will likely not have an iPhone 7S upgrade next year and simply introduce the iPhone 8 with significant changes.
“Silver lining - there might be no "S" cycle in C2017,” said Moskowitz. “Our conversations with industry participants suggest Apple could skip the "S" cycle next year and instead jump to IP8. The jump could showcase major form factor changes, including OLED, no home button, and wireless charging. In our view, these potential changes could drive a mega cycle, underpinning our C2017 iPhone unit growth estimate of 10.3%, vs. 6.3% previously.”
