iPhone 7 release date, specs, price and other news

The rumors about iPhone 7 release date have been surfacing around the world and it is being predicted that the this premium device could be launched in Q4 of the year 2016. There is no clear understanding whether the new iPhone will be only iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus too as some of reliable sources believe it will be iPhone 7 and some other think the tech giant may release iPhone 7 Plus as well just like iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

iPhone 7 is the most anticipated device of the year 2016 that I believe, could make debut any time in winters just like iPhone 6S. The phone will be slightly larger than its predecessors and will be having other ultra advanced technology. Since the Cupertino, California based tech giant releases new iOS just before the launch of next generation iPhone, it is anticipated that the new iPhone, i.e. iPhone 7 gonna feature latest operation system with plenty of new interesting features, new UI, smarter SIRI, ultra fast processor and improved camera for clicking sharper pictures.

iPhone 7 release date

If we talk about the siblings of iPhone 7, Apple followed a set pattern for their release but a few of them were released at completely different time. If apple gonna follow the same cycle as it used for iPhone 5 and 5S, 5C, iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, iPhone 6S we can anticipate that the release date of iPhone 7 will fall sometimes in September 2016.

Also see: iPhone 7 Plus release date

The first iPhone was released in 2007 and it was the most hyped consumer product followed by release of iPhone 3G, iPhone 3G S, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S and 5C, iPhone 6, 6 Plus and now iPhone 6S. Have a look at the release dates of different iPhones.

Model name	Release date
iPhone	June 2007
iPhone 3G	June 2008
iPhone 3G S	June 2009
iPhone 4	June 2010
iPhone 4S	October 2011
iPhone 5	September 2012
iPhone 5S and 5C	September 2013
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus	September 2014
iPhone 6S	September 2015
iPhone 7	September 2016 (expected)

So if we look at the pattern that Apple is following, the first four generation iPhone was released in June month of each year with just one add release of iPhone 4S that was taken place in October 2012. The reason behind for the delay was that iPhone 4 was a huge success and the company didn’t wanted to bring new iPhone in the market.

After that tech giant follow ed different cycle wherein all the  new iPhone were being released in the month of September. every year.  So assuming Apple going to follow same pattern for iPhone 7 as well, I can project the iPhone 7 release date will fall sometime during September 2016 however it again depend on the company’s strategies when they want to launch new iPhone in the market.

iPhone 7 specifications

As far as specification is concern, there is not much news about it however since very new iPhone (except S’s and C’s versions) are launched with latest iOS. So iPhone 7 will going to feature new OS i.e. iOS 10 which possibly be announced latest by September 2016.

If we talk about the screen size, the device is going to feature a little bigger screen than its predecessors i.e. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus which measure screen size of 4.7 and 5.5 respectively. Therefore the new iPhone will probably feature 5.8 screen size with OLED display. As far as camera is concern, iPhone 7 will sport improved 13 megapixel primary iSight camera with 8 megapixel secondary one.

iPhone 7 features

Sapphire Glass – According to the last rumors, the new iPhone 7 may feature Sapphire glass instead of Corning’s Gorilla glass that is being used in current iPhone. Sapphire glass is pretty much tough glass which is not easily breakable and the company is already using it in iWatch. It would be fair decision if Apple decides to use the same glass in new iPhone as well. As perMacworld, Apple is backing Arizona based plant run by G T Advanced Technologies that can be used to manufacture iPhone display.

Button-less design – The company may ditch its traditional design and come up with all new button-less design for its new iPhone 7. The home button which is being used in current iPhone can be eliminated completely to provide bigger space on the screen.

Wireless Charging – The rivals like Samsung is already offering wireless charging facility to the customer which is pretty much convenient. Samsung Galaxy S6 edge can be charged wirelessly and the customers have appreciated this facility. Apple can’t afford to lag behind its rivals and it makes sense for the company to allow iPhone 7 charge wirelessly.

Improved iSight Camera – To enhance the picture quality, Apple might use iSight camera which will help you take bright and clear picture through its anticipated 13 megapixel primary camera. The iPhone 7 will be able to take pretty much better picture through its 8 megapixel secondary camera as well.

Water and dust proof – To give maximum protection to such premium device, the California based techie planing to make iPhone 7 Water as well as dust proof. According to the rumors, the phone will be waterproofed to iP67 standard which is meant for making devices water and dust proof. As per IP67 the device wouldn’t get damaged if it submerged under 1 meter water for 30 mins.

OLED display – The latest rumors suggest that the iPhone 7 may feature OLED display instead of LCD which is currently being used. OLED screen generates its own light to illuminate however LCD screen requires back light to glow.

iPhone 7 price

With all these advanced features, I can anticipate the price of iPhone 7 may fall between the price range of 1000-1200 USD depending upon different locations and GB memory. The Phone could be available in contract with mobile carriers but at this point of time it is pretty hard to predict which carrier will have the privilege. With contract, the consumer will have to spend a couple of hundred dollar initially and rest can be paid in due course as contract lasts.

Update 1:

The company is trying hard to make the new iPhone as thinner as possible and according to latestrumors, the iPhone 7 will be the thinnest iPhone ever with 6.1 mm thickness, 1mm thinner than iPhone 6S. The rumors also suggest that the company may ditch headphone socket in an attempt to make it thin.

Update 2: Fan out technology.

Apple will use Fan Out technology to increase number of I/O terminals within a package according to etnews. It will help the device become thinner and have more battery capacity. Apart from this the loss of signals could also be minimized by using this technology. Since the device is going to be thinner, it is expected that Apple may drop 3.5mm jack and the people need to buy accessories for external radio.

Update 3: Apple may ditch 3.5 mm jack

The latest rumors suggests that the Cuppertino, California based tech giant may ditch 3.5 mm headphone jack to make the device slimmer ever. While the new iPhone 7 is several months away from its debut, the rumors at many tech blogs & websites are floating about the possible features, design, specification & price. The latest leak confirm the elimination of 3.5 mm jack.

Update 4:

The new iPhone 7 may ditch the aluminum casting and get back to all-glass body – Read more

It is also rumors that new iPhone 7 will have dual sensor camera for better picture quality – Read more

Update 5: Apple wouldn’t include rumored Smart Connector

The rumors about Smart Connector feature being included in iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 plus were floating around for quite sometime but now the latest rumors suggest Apple wouldn’t be including it in any of two phone which are said to be making debut this autumn. The Smart connector feature was first included in 12-inch iPad Pro last year that helps with transfering data and the power between the device and attached accessories.

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3 apps for keeping track of your TV shows

In this golden age of television, it's difficult to keep up with all of your shows, let alone discover new ones. There are so many TV channels and streaming services producing quality content that I have this constant feeling that I'm missing must-see TV.

When a friend tells me about a show I should be watching, I need an app to tell me how I can watch it. That is, whether it's on a free cable channel or HBO (I'm a subscriber because winter is coming) or available on Netflix or Amazon Prime. And if not, then how much will it cost to purchase on iTunes or elsewhere.

Just as there are many outlets for great TV, there are many apps that endeavor to help you discover great TV (and movies). I had previously used the Can I Stream It? app but it hasn't been updated in more than two years, so it's time to find a new app for keeping up with TV.

I used the shows "The Americans" and "Silicon Valley" as tests. I started watching "The Americans" on FX when it first starting airing, but I fell behind and then FX took away season 1 from Xfinity On Demand. So, I want to catch up with "The Americans" while also picking up "Silicon Valley" from its beginning.

Matt Elliott/CNET

After kicking the tires on a number of video-discovery apps, I have narrowed the list to three. Let's meet our three finalists before we get to my pick for the best of the bunch.

Fan TV

Fan TV has a feed you can browse to find new shows and also displays live TV listings if you tell it your TV provider, but neither of these features interest me. I just want to search for a show and find out where I can watch it. Fan TV lets you search for TV shows and movies and displays the price for the HD versions of shows and movies, which is what I'm after.

In settings, you can select which TV channels and streaming services you want it to search. It offers more than 50 channels and streaming services.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

I had to hunt around a bit before I was able to drill down to season 1 of "The Americans." Fan TV displays streaming and purchase information on its landing page for a TV series, but hides the season information behind the Watch Now option. And after you select a specific season, you then must to drill down to a specific episode to see the streaming and purchase options.

With Fan TV, you can create two lists -- Watch List and I'm a fan -- to keep track of your shows. You can also create new lists to track, say, horror movies worth watching.

Fan TV is free and available for Android and for iOS.

JustWatch

When you first launch JustWatch, it asks you to choose the streaming service providers that your use. What I like about its approach is the limited number it offers. If you use an obscure streaming service, you'll be disappointed, but I like not having to go through dozens of TV channels and services that don't interest me. I was quickly able to select Netflix, Amazon Video, HBO Now and iTunes and move on.

JustWatch also makes it easy to find streaming and purchase information, displaying it for both full seasons of shows and individual episodes. It shows the Best Price, SD and HD price. Since SD usually equates to best price, it could probably reduce these three pricing options to two, but they are easy enough to switch between.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

JustWatch also has a WatchList to which you can add shows, which is standard fare. Unique to JustWatch is its Price Drops tab, that shows you movies and TV shows that have recently dropped their purchase price. It also has a Cinema tab that shows both Upcoming movies and those Now in theaters.

JustWatch is free and available for Android and for iOS.

Yidio

Yidio attempts to recommend shows based on your tastes. When you first launch the app, it asks you to pick at least of your three favorite shows. In order to do so, however, you will need to sign up for a free account via email or Facebook.

Yidio is better suited for a tablet than a phone because it assumes you want to watch shows on the device upon which you are searching. It filters its results based on the video apps you have installed on your device, which isn't the best arrangement if you use your phone to find TV shows to watch on a TV.

Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET

Like Fan TV, Yidio forces you to drill down to individual episodes to view streaming and purchase information. And it doesn't let you pick between SD and HD prices, always showing the lowest price for a show when what I want to see the HD price.

Yidio is free and available for Android and for iOS. It is also the only app of the three here to feature ads, detracting from its overall appeal.

And the winner is...

My go-to video-discovery app is JustWatch. It is the easiest to set up with its targeted list of streaming services. I also found the app's design the easiest to navigate, and I like that it surfaces pricing information without making me dig down to individual episodes. It also has the cleanest layout of pricing information, making it easy to toggle between SD and HD prices. Lastly, I enjoy being able to peruse the movies that are currently in theaters and the titles that are coming soon.

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This is the best use of 3D Touch on the iPhone yet

Six months after the release of the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, I've yet to find a consistent use for 3D Touch. Sometimes I remember to press light enough to preview an email, or view a photo in Instagram. But the bulk of the time I tap on the screen and use my phone as I always have.

That might change, however, as I accidentally discovered the best 3D Touch use ever. As you likely know, you can press on an app's icon to bring up a series of shortcuts to actions within the app. For example, pressing on the Messages icon will bring up three contacts you talk to frequently, along with a shortcut to composing a new message.

The next time the App Store icon has a red badge on it, which indicates multiple apps have an update, lightly press on the App Store icon, then select Update All. The App Store will launch and begin downloading all available app updates. It's such a small shortcut, but one that I will use almost daily, and I love it.

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Top 10: Games For Android – May 2016

Even if you’re primarily a console or PC gamer, there’s something to be said about the current state of mobile games. They have become increasingly better over the last few years and right now, they’re are at an all-time high in terms of quality and user experience, and they just continue to get better. Like apps, games on Android are constantly being launched and as such, there are always lots to sift through. If you enjoy the occasional Android game or if you consistently look for new titles to play, we’ve put together a list of 10 Android games to check out this month.

The Aetherlight

Kicking off this list is a game for the adventure fans out there. The Aetherlight is set in a Steampunk universe filled with puzzles for you to solve and enemies for you to battle with all kinds of gadgets and weaponry. The game features awesome 3D graphics and you can even battle your friends in real-time multiplayer matchups.

Battleborn Tap

If you’re a fan of the new team-based multiplayer shooter from 2K Games called Battleborn, then you may find this particular title to be of some interest. It won’t offer the same kind of action as the original game, naturally, but it features comedic dialogue, different heroes from the game that you can upgrade and loot you can collect that can assist you in further disposing of enemies.

Pokemon TCG Online

Fans of the Pokemon Trading Card Game will definitely want to hit up this newly released offering. Naturally, this is a card battler and the main gameplay will be set on a game board with you in front of your opponent. You can choose from multiple deck types including water and fire, and although you’ll start out with some cards available, the more you play the more you can unlock additional packs of cards to expand your collection and improve your deck, or create new ones.

Elsworth: Evolution

If role-playing games are more your speed, give Elsworth: Evolution a look as it offers up plenty of adventure with a rich story and great 3D graphics with an anime style. There’s plenty of PvE content to enjoy but you can also play against other users too and climb up the global rankings and since it’s an RPG there will be multiple character types and character progression with varied attacks for each character.

Spellbinders

While Clash Royale may have most of the spotlight for real-time strategy games at the moment, Spellbinders is definitely one that deserves some attention too. Kiloo is hailing this as having some MOBA style gameplay, and the goal is to defeat your enemies towers by placing units in the right lanes. You will command a particular god with amazing power, each with their own unique units, and the ability to unleash your abilities at later points in the match.

Maestria

This is a puzzle offering and although it follows in the visual footsteps of games like Monument Valley, the goal of each stage is to ring the bells in the right order. There are over 160 levels to play through with multiple worlds, each having their own style of design and environment.

Taichi Panda: Heroes

This is essentially the sequel to the original Taichi Panda, and although the gameplay is fairly similar as it follows a sort of action RPG hack and slash dungeon crawler, there are now more MMO elements in the mix. The panda has returned as a playable character, but beyond that, other character types are fresh, and the graphics are even more beautiful than they are in the original.

Hungry Shark World

Hungry Shark has been a fan favorite franchise on Android for a while, and the latest, Hungry Shark World has just been released. There are new and improved 3D graphics hailed as console quality, new worlds to explore and an astounding number of different sharks to unlock.

UNCHARTED: Fortune Hunter

This is another puzzle game and is somewhat similar to Lara Croft GO. You play as Nathan Drake, and your goal is to acquire the treasure in each level, but not before making it past any number of traps, and if you want the bonus keys from each level which you can use to unlock chests that contina useful items, you’ll have to reach the treasure in the specified number of turns.

Bushido Bear

Rounding out this list is an action game called Bushido Bear. As you may have guessed, you play as a ninja bear that must save the forest by cutting down enemies using a series of gestures and swipes. You can unlock different abilities and different types of bears too. The game also features a rather cute style of graphics that quite honestly make the game more enjoyable.

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WhatsApp's new desktop app for Windows and Mac

This week, WhatsApp announced Windows and OS X versions of its popular messaging app. Until now, desktop users have had to use WhatsApp through a Web browser. Like the Web version, WhatsApp's desktop apps mirror the messages on your phone.

The desktop apps may offer better security than the browser client, giving you and WhatsApp more control over the bits getting sent back and forth. That's important, because WhatsApp now advertises end-to-end encryption on all platforms.

End-to-end encryption means that only the sender and receiver can see the messages. With most other messaging apps, the service gets a copy of your encryption keys, meaning a rogue employee could read your messages without consent or notification, or hand the keys over to law enforcement.

The WhatsApp download page says that Windows users must have Windows 8 or higher, but we had no trouble getting the desktop client to run on Windows 7. Mac users need OS X 10.9 or higher.

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Use these Mac menu bar apps to get more done

Mac menu bar apps are a great way to keep information or services -- such as clipboard managers and calendars -- out of sight but no more than a click away. This makes them great for visualizing status information for your Mac, quickly switching settings and even boosting your productivity.

There is an ever-growing list of great Mac menu bar apps. Here are the best of the best for getting stuff done.

Caffeine

Many would consider Caffeine a utility app, but I've found lots more uses for it. It has only one basic function: as the name suggests it keeps your computer from going to sleep. So I use it when I know a passive process is going to take a while and I want to make sure my Mac won't go to sleep when I'm halfway through. So if I'm exporting a video, I know it won't be interrupted and fail.

Rather than switching your Mac's settings, just click the coffee cup icon in the menu bar to activate Caffeine. It will stop your computer from sleeping indefinitely or anywhere from 5 minutes to 5 hours.

Noizio

If you need sound to break up the background noise, Noizio is just what you need. It can generate individual noises, such as a cafe, thunderstorm, campfire, river, farm or more. Or you can mix and match different sounds together and adjust their individual volumes to create your own custom blend.

At $5 (£4 or AU$8) it isn't cheap for a noise generator. But it's well worth the price if you can't seem to concentrate with people around or a disruptive background noise. I especially like the Deep Space sound.

Gestimer

Taylor Martin/CNET

Gestimer allows you to quickly add reminders by clicking the menu bar icon and dragging. The further you drag the icon, the longer until the deadline of the reminder, which can be synced with Apple Reminders. When you release, you are prompted to enter the title for the reminder, and just press Return to save it.

It's very reliable and by far one of the easiest -- and quickest -- ways I've found to create a new task or reminder. That said, it will cost you $4 (£3 or AU$6) in the Mac App Store.

BreakTime

Enlarge Image

Taylor Martin/CNET

If you're anything like me, once you start working, it's difficult to remember to take stop and take a break. BreakTime helps remind you when to stop what you're doing and break for a few.

Set how long you want to work and how long you want to break for. Once your work timer is finished, BreakTime will lock you out of your computer and force you to take a 5 or 10 minute break. You can choose whether you'll be able to end the break early (to regain access to your computer) or trulyforce yourself to take a break.

Some might not like the idea of locking themselves out of their computer, but having a set amount of time before you (temporarily) lose access certainly instills a sense of urgency.

BreakTime is $5 (£4 or AU$8) but comes with a limited trial so you can try it before you buy.

Focus

Focus is similar to BreakTime. But instead of locking you out of your computer, Focus blocks certain applications and websites for a set amount of time to help stop you from getting distracted when you're down to the wire.

Taylor Martin/CNET

Like BreakTime, Focus has what it calls a Hardcore mode, which can't be disabled even by rebooting the machine. Even access to your application preferences are revoked until the timer finishes. But Focus also comes with a set schedule, so it can automatically enable and disable itself based on your work schedule.

The downside to Focus is its price, which is a steep $20 (this converts to about £14 or AU$27). However, unlike most Mac apps, it comes with a 30-day money back guarantee in case it's not exactly what you're looking for.

Escape

Distractions abound on the internet, and sometimes it can be difficult to work out where all your time is going. If spending $20 to block the most distracting websites during work hours doesn't appeal to you, you can try to tackle distractions from the other side of the equation with Escape.

Escape runs in the background and tracks your distractions throughout the day, showing which websites cause the most distractions. It also keeps track of how long, on average, those distractions cost you in minutes. The only downside to Escape is, if you want to track how much time you waste on a specific site, you will first have to enter that site into the list that Escape will track.

Escape is also free, which makes it even more enticing.

ClipMenu

Taylor Martin/CNET

I'm constantly copying and pasting a ton of text and other information, so I can't possibly function without something like ClipMenu. It saves pretty much everything you copy -- pictures, rich or plain text and URLs -- up to a maximum of 100MB.

You can use the menu bar or a hotkey to access your recent clippings, and selecting one will automatically paste it. Best of all, it's entirely free.

hr

Taylor Martin/CNET

It's easy to forget to track your time. But if you need help keeping track of the hours you spend working on specific projects, whether it's for your personal needs or for invoicing, hr is a brilliant yet simple solution.

It's a time tracker that sits in your menu bar. Click to open the menu, select a category, enter a new task and click the play button to start tracking time. If you walk away from your computer for a few minutes, hr will notice that the computer is idle and stop tracking time. Or it can stop tracking after a set amount of time like a pomodoro-style timer.

In the Mac App Store, hr costs $6 (£4.50 or AU$10).

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