A new leaked image of the iPhone 7's rear camera module has been posted online today (via Nowhereelse.fr), bringing with it more concrete evidence that the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 will include optical image stabilization alongside its various other camera improvements. Previous reports surrounding the smaller-screen iPhone have hinted at the inclusion of image stabilization, but today's camera module leak provides the first visual hint of its addition into the upcoming 4.7-inch iPhone.
Images via NWE
The component in question includes four small cutouts surrounding the single-lens camera, housing the springs and equipment that allow for the lens to float slightly, leading to clearer, less blurry images. The same component for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s lack these cutouts. Since the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in 2014, optical image stabilization has been limited to the "Plus" versions of Apple's smartphone, alongside features like better battery life.
With optical image stabilization now believed to be coming to both the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, the different camera abilities will be focused on the single-lens and dual-lens hardware for the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch versions of the smartphone. Mockups over the last few months for both devices have shown larger camera bumps when compared to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and the camera hardware in general has been believed to be one of the major selling points of an otherwise modest update year.
Currently, it's believed that Apple will reveal the iPhone 7 at an event on September 7, and open up pre-orders on September 9. The specific launch date is a bit more ambiguous, with both September 16 and September 23 flagged as potential options.
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors.
Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too.
2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3
Apple didn't update the...
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report.
iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design
The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
Thursday April 24, 2025 8:24 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
While the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" is not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the ultra-thin device.
Overall, the iPhone 17 Air sounds like a mixed bag. While the device is expected to have an impressively thin and light design, rumors indicate it will have some compromises compared to iPhone 17 Pro models, including only a single rear camera, a...
Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
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.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years.
iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack)
At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
That's actually really good to hear. Ever since the 6 and 6 Plus were announced I've always felt like I should get the Plus just because of the better camera. Although the rumor mill is currently churning with talk of a dual camera on the Plus so I don't know.
Ahhh Apple why must you force me to get that gargantuan phone just because I like to take good photos!
As a casual, amateur, everyday person who takes only a few photos here and there, and are usually for utility purposes, I am simply amazed at the quality and tiny size of the camera's on the iPhone, and other phones too.
I can only welcome additional improvements, like this, which make the photos I take just a little bit better.
Very dissapointing that Apple still view the 4.7 incher as a sub-standard model, gimping its camera to upsell buyers to the dual lens on the Plus size. For many, a smaller iPhone with the best available camera would be even more valuable than the Plus size with the same camera. More portable means you're more likely to have it on you when shot opportunities arise.
Just a WAG, but I'll bet Jony Ive is to blame for it. The 4.7 incher would need to be thicker to house the larger camera of the Plus size. That's really unfortunate since I don't remember anyone complaining about the thickness of the iPhone 5 or even the iPhone 4.
About freaking time! When will Apple realize those of us buying the smaller phone is by our free will because we like that smaller one better?! Stop denying us the top spec stuffs.
