Apple iPhone 7 Specs, Release Rumors: No Li-Fi, headphone jack in new iPhone

By Staff Writer | Jan 23, 2016 08:27 AM EST

Li-Fi technology will reportedly not make its way to the iPhone 7. Apple is said to release the iPhone 7 on September 2016, with improved specs but without a headphone jack.

There are rumors that Apple will add Li-Fi capability on the iPhone 7. Chase Fromm, an iOS coder, posted a screenshot in Twitter showing references to Li-Fi in iOS 9.1's library cache. This led to some believing that the iPhone 7 will incorporate the new data transmission technology.

However, ValueWalk reported that Li-Fi will probably not be integrated to the iPhone 7 since it is still on experimental stage and has too many limitations. Li-Fi requires devices to connect via a direct line of visible light, which means that users need to be in the same room as the light source. Additionally, light cannot penetrate through walls unlike radio waves. Yet, this limitation makes Li-Fi more protected than Wi-Fi.

Compared to Wi-Fi, Li-Fi is much faster since it travels at the speed of light. There is around 10,000 times more light spectrum than radio spectrum. There is also less electromagnetic interference with light. Li-Fi was discovered by University of Edinburgh professor Harald Hass.

Hints of Li-Fi in iOS 9 code could mean that Apple is currently exploring adding Li-Fi tech into its devices. Apple is known for making product innovations by using new technology, and this is probably what the company plans to do with Li-Fi.

ExpertReviews reported that aside from not having Li-Fi, the Apple iPhone 7 will have no built-in 3.5mm headphone jack. This was reportedly confirmed by a reliable source to Fast Company. By removing the headphone jack, Apple will make the iPhone 7 as thin as possible. Users will be able to plug their headphones via the Lightning port. The downside is users will not be able to listen to music and charge their iPhones at the same time.

Apple is rumored to add noise-cancellation technology and introduce wireless charging to the iPhone 7. The next iPhone successor could also be waterproof and tout an improved 3D Touch technology. Display-wise, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that AMOLED screens will not appear on Apple iPhones until 2018.

Apple fans expect that the iPhone 7 will have a better processor, battery life, and camera. Many assume that the upcoming iPhone will sport a design unique from its predecessors.

According to previous reports by Lawyer Herald, the iPhone 7 is not the only gadget to be launched on 2016. The tech community might see the Apple Watch 2, iPhone 6C, iPad Air 3, MacBook Air 2016, and MacBook Pro 2016 released this year.

The specs and features mentioned are, so far, only speculations made by the rumor mill. Apple is yet to confirm the speculations surrounding its upcoming iPhone 7 and other devices.

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