Infamously accurate KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in a recent note to investors that Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 7 will include a significant form factor change and a slate of futuristic new features.
As reported by AppleInsider, Kuo said Apple will breathe new life into the iPhone shell with a revamped “glass sandwich” design complete with curved display panels and slimmed down metal bezels on the sides. Kuo said the new form will likely provide a more comfortable grip for consumers.
According to Kuo, the device is expected to include new technological features as well, including wireless charging and biometric identification through face and/or eye scanning. As with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the iPhone 7 is also expected to come with 3D touch technology, Kuo said.
So long as a sufficient supply of panels is available, Kuo said it is likely Apple will take the opportunity to introduce an AMOLED display on the 5.8-inch device. If that happens, Kuo said the iPhone 7 will likely replace Apple’s 5.5-inch model, leaving the manufacturer with 4.7-inch and 5.8-inch iPhone offerings in 2017. If the AMOLED supply is insufficient, the device would probably be launched as a top-tier option on top of the existing lineup.
The iPhone changes forecast by Kuo would mark a significant and much needed change of pace for the technology giant.
Though Apple is hoping to tap an underserved market for smaller iPhones with its freshly released iPhone 5SE, the company has been struggling to keep up with the record sales figures it set with the launch of the iPhone 6.
In January, Apple warned revenue could fall more than eight percent in the January to March quarter.
So far, Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said iPhone demand is tracking higher than expected, but still well below last year’s figures. According to Morgan Stanley Data, Apple is on pace to sell 56.5 million iPhones in the current quarter, a figure up from the 50 million units predicted by analysts but down from the 61 million iPhones the company sold last year.
