iPhone 7 Suppliers Prepare for Dual-Lens Camera, Possible Stereo Speakers

Apple's chip suppliers including Cirrus Logic and Analog Devices (ADI) have started to book production capacity for the rumored iPhone 7 at their foundry and backend partners, according to DigiTimes. iPhone 7 production is expected to ramp up in the second and third quarters, ahead of the smartphone's launch in September.

Cirrus Logic is notable given that Barclays analysts believe the iPhone 7 will have dual speakers supplied by the Austin-based company. In a research note to investors, Barclays said the second speaker will likely take over the space currently occupied by the 3.5mm headphone jack on current iPhones.

Multiple sources have reported that Apple will remove the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 in favor of an all-in-one Lightning connector for audio output, charging, and connecting peripherals. The device would also expectedly support Bluetooth headphones, and a digital-to-analog adapter could allow use of non-Lightning wired headphones.

iphone_7_render_mr

iPhone 7 mockup with no rear antenna bands and flush camera

Meanwhile, at least one iPhone 7 or 7 Plus model is expected to have a dual-lens camera system, with driver components supplied by ADI, the report claims. The dual-lens hardware could be based on LinX technology, which could lead to brighter and clearer DSLR-quality photos and several other major advantages.

LinX's multi-aperture cameras pack impressive image quality in a smaller size than single-aperture cameras, meaning the iPhone 7 Plus could also lack a protruding camera lens. A flush camera would allow the iPhone 7 to lay flat on a table, like older-generation iPhones, and it would contribute to a slimmer iPhone design.

The report also corroborates rumors claiming Apple will move away from Samsung and source most or all of its A10 chips for the iPhone 7 from its longtime Taiwanese supplier TSMC. The foundry has reportedly been aggressively expanding its 16nm FinFET production capacity and expects to begin volume production of chips based on its integrated fan-out (InFO) technology in the second quarter.

In late September, hardware teardowns showed the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus use different-sized A9 chips from Samsung and TSMC. Samsung's 14-nanometer chip measures in at 96 square millimeters, while TSMC's 16-nanometer chip has a size of 104.5 square millimeters.

The difference between the chips is small in size, but early benchmarks found TSMC's A9 chip outperformed Samsung's in battery life by up to 22 percent. Apple later stated there is only 2-3 percent variance in "real world" battery life between the chips, which shortly after was proven by controlled battery life tests.

Other rumors claim the iPhone 7 could have a fully waterproof design, no rear antenna bands, and wireless charging if readied in time.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Windows Vista

Apple Might Be Having Its Windows Vista Moment, Says Analyst

Thursday March 20, 2025 6:52 am PDT by
Is Apple experiencing a "Vista-like drift into systemically poor execution?" That was a question posed by well-known technology analyst Benedict Evans, in a recent blog post covering Apple's innovation and execution, or seemingly lack thereof as of late. He is referring to Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system, which was widely criticized when it launched in 2007 due to software bugs,...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro teal 1

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Coming to These 8 U.S. States, But Rollout Remains Slow

Wednesday March 19, 2025 6:55 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly. It has been three and a half years since Apple first announced the...
iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

Latest iPhone 17 Pro Dummies Highlight Apple's New Part-Glass Design

Thursday March 20, 2025 5:27 am PDT by
Seasoned leaker Sonny Dickson has shared more dummy models of Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 series, with the latest lot revealing a noticeable shift in Apple's iPhone Pro model design that goes beyond the much-talked-about new rear camera bar. Dickson points out that the iPhone 17 Pro dummy models feature an outlined area on the back, beginning just below the camera module and extending to the...
airpods pro 2 gradient

AirPods Pro 3 Launch Now Just Months Away: Here's What We Know

Tuesday March 18, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Despite being released over two years ago, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 continue to dominate the wireless earbud market. However, with the AirPods Pro 3 expected to launch in 2025, anyone thinking of buying Apple's premium earbuds may be wondering if the next generation is worth holding out for. Apart from their audio and noise-canceling performance, which are generally regarded as excellent for...
CarPlay GM EV

GM Reportedly Blocks Dealership From Installing CarPlay in Newer EVs

Friday March 21, 2025 8:22 am PDT by
A few years ago, the American automaker General Motors (GM) announced that it would be phasing out support for CarPlay and Android Auto in its new electric vehicles, in favor of its own software platform. It was a controversial decision, as many drivers who are in the market for a new vehicle consider CarPlay to be a must-have feature. Looking to capitalize on the situation, one GM...

Top Rated Comments

Thunderhawks Avatar
119 months ago
stereo speakers..

if you listen to music regularly through iPhone's loud speaker, you're just a douchebag.
This douchebag listens to EVERYTHING on my 6S plus iPhone speakers.
Settings>Preferences>Douchebag (switch to: ON)
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
farewelwilliams Avatar
119 months ago
stereo speakers..

if you listen to music regularly through iPhone's loud speaker, you're just a douchebag.

EDIT: referring to that idiot that blasts the Jack U + Justin Bieber tune on his iPhone at the gym every day.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RoboCop001 Avatar
119 months ago
stereo speakers..

if you listen to music regularly through iPhone's loud speaker, you're just a douchebag.
And also, what's the point of 2 speakers being on the same side? lol
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Popeye206 Avatar
119 months ago
Bye iPhone....
It will flop... dual camera ONLY for the Plus model and no headphone jack on any and no AMOLED screen ? Hello Note 6
My god man you're right! You should call Tim Cook right now and let him know.

Seeing these sorts of statements get so old. Seems people have this sort of list with every freaking update of the iPhone and yet... it keeps on selling like hot cakes.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zwhaler Avatar
119 months ago
I like it, I just hope the design looks nothing like that mockup though.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H2SO4 Avatar
119 months ago
One thing to be sure of is iPhones never flop.
[doublepost=1455912732][/doublepost]

One thing to be sure of is iPhones never flop.
Another thing to be sure of is that NOTHING stays at the top forever.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)