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.
Monday December 1, 2025 4:37 pm PST by Juli Clover
We're getting closer to the launch of the final major iOS update of the year, with Apple set to release iOS 26.2 in December. We've had three betas so far and are expecting a fourth beta or a release candidate this week, so a launch could follow as soon as next week.
Past Launch Dates
Apple's past iOS x.2 updates from the last few years have all happened right around the middle of the...
Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Tuesday December 2, 2025 9:44 am PST by Juli Clover
Apple's iPhone 17 lineup is selling well enough that Apple is on track to ship more than 247.4 million total iPhones in 2025, according to a new report from IDC.
Total 2025 shipments are forecast to grow 6.1 percent year over year due to iPhone 17 demand and increased sales in China, a major market for Apple.
Overall worldwide smartphone shipments across Android and iOS are forecast to...
Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by Joe Rossignol
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs.
On his blog Daring Fireball,...
Monday December 1, 2025 5:00 am PST by Tim Hardwick
2026 could be a bumper year for Apple's Mac lineup, with the company expected to announce as many as four separate MacBook launches. Rumors suggest Apple will court both ends of the consumer spectrum, with more affordable options for students and feature-rich premium lines for users that seek the highest specifications from a laptop.
Below is a breakdown of what we're expecting over the next ...
The iPhone Air has recorded the steepest early resale value drop of any iPhone model in years, with new data showing that several configurations have lost almost 50% of their value within ten weeks of launch.
According to a ten-week analysis published by SellCell, Apple's latest lineup is showing a pronounced split in resale performance between the iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air....
Thursday December 4, 2025 5:18 am PST by Tim Hardwick
iPhone 17 Pro models, it turns out, can't take photos in Night mode when Portrait mode is selected in the Camera app – a capability that's been available on Apple's Pro devices since the iPhone 12 Pro in 2020.
If you're an iPhone 17 Pro or iPhone 17 Pro Max owner, try it for yourself: Open the Camera app with Photo selected in the carousel, then cover the rear lenses with your hand to...
Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
One thing worth...
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.