iPhone 7 Plus Follow-up Images Reignite Smart Connector Rumors

Following yesterday's circulation of iPhone 7 case images, NWE this morning posted another series of shots from the same "reliable" source, this time including what looks like the larger iPhone 7 Plus handset with dual-lens camera.

iPhone-7-vs-iPhone-7Plus-Pro-Dummies
The additional iPhone 7 pictures offer a few more angles of a possibly fully assembled 4.7-inch device, without revealing anything particularly new, so we've reproduced them here merely for completion.

iPhone 7
Readers will note that the power/standby button, volume controls and mute switch can be made out on the sides of the case, while the metallic Apple logo appears to have been fitted, but the images still leave us none the wiser as to whether this device has a headphone jack or not.

iPhone-7-Plus-Dummy-03
The iPhone 7 Plus images on the other hand at least rekindle another salient talking point: the three holes on the bottom of the case's back side indicating a possible Smart Connector. Such a connector is designed to provide power and a data connection to accessories like keyboards, at least on the iPad Pro, but it's not entirely clear what its purpose would be on a 5.5-inch handset.

The possibility of a Smart Connector being exclusive to the iPhone 7 Plus has been the subject of a number of rumors, including both as a potential inclusion on the device and an idea already scrapped by Apple. Third-party cases have also fueled conflicting rumors on the existence of such a connector.

iPhone-7-Plus-Dummy-01
Another image offers a view of the front of what looks like an almost fully-assembled 5.5-inch handset, which appears to show a traditional physical clickable home button, rather than the rumored flush touch-sensitive one, a feature likely reserved for the tenth-anniversary OLED iPhone expected in 2017.

Again, the angle of the shot makes it hard to know for sure whether the headphone jack is gone or not. Elsewhere, eagle-eyed readers will have also noted the odd lack of a mute switch on the side of device, usually found next to the volume buttons.

Alleged leaks aside, both devices are expected to be officially unveiled by Apple in the fall. In addition to the aforementioned features, the smartphones are expected to have faster Apple A10 processors, 32GB of base storage, improved waterproofing, and faster LTE and Wi-Fi.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
iOS 26

When Will Apple Release iOS 26.2?

Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week. Past Launch Dates Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
iphone air camera

iPhone Air's Resale Value Has Dropped Dramatically, Data Shows

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:27 am PST by
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch. According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

iPhone 17 Pro Lost a Camera Feature Pro Models Have Had Since 2020

Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020. If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...

Top Rated Comments

realeric Avatar
123 months ago
We need Steve Jobs. Seriously.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
WarHeadz Avatar
123 months ago
We need Steve Jobs. Seriously.
Give it up already. It's old. He's dead. Deal with it.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KJL3000 Avatar
123 months ago
Where is the mute switch?!
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
diddl14 Avatar
123 months ago
So the biggest question is "will it have a headphone jack" and than guess what...they don't make a picture of the bottom
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
littyboy Avatar
123 months ago
The 7 Plus's camera looks so ugly that it makes the 7 look nice... that's how sad this is.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
goobot Avatar
123 months ago
Actually, I thought about that a while ago. They might remove it so you're able to mute the phone by using Siri. And they can add a mute button to the control bar.
Would be okay for me.
Imo a quick hard mute switch is a necessity on a phone. It's annoying enough the iPad lost it.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)